Maple-Gingerbread Layer Cake with Salted Maple-Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons five-spice powder chinese
• 2.5 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.5 teaspoon coarse kosher salt 
• 1.3 cups crème fraîche chilled
• 1.5 ounces crystallized ginger chopped
• 2 large eggs 
• 1.3 cups heavy whipping cream chilled
• 0.5 cup maple sugar 
• 0.3 cup maple syrup pure (preferably Grade B)
• 0.7 cup mild-flavored molasses light ()
• 0.8 cup pecan halves toasted
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar 
• 0.8 cup butter unsalted room temperature ()
• 0.8 cup water hot

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• blender
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Place large pieceof foil on work surface.
2. Combine nuts andmaple syrup in heavy medium skillet (donot use nonstick) over medium-high heatand bring to boil, tossing to coat. Cook untilsyrup is dark amber and almost cookedaway and thickly coats nuts, tossing often,3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Scrape nuts onto foil.Working quickly with 2 forks, separatenuts.
3. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cool untilcoating is crisp and hard, about 1 hour.DO AHEAD: Pecans can be made 1 day ahead.Store airtight at room temperature.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butterand flour two 9-inch-diameter cake panswith 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
5. Combine first4 ingredients in processor; add ginger.Blend until ginger is finely ground, about1 minute. Using mixer, beat maple sugarand butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat ineggs 1 at a time (batter may look curdled).Stir 3/4 cup hot water and molasses insmall bowl. Beat dry ingredients intobutter mixture in 4 additions alternatelywith molasses mixture in 3 additions.
6. Divide batter between prepared pans(about 21/2 cups each).
7. Bake until testerinserted into center comes out clean, 30 to32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks.
8. Combine crème fraîche,cream, and both sugars in large bowl. Usingelectric mixer, beat until very thick and stiff.
9. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakelayers; turn out onto racks.
10. Place 1 cakelayer on platter.
11. Spread with 1 1/3 cupsfrosting.
12. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons caramelsauce. Top with second cake layer.
13. Spreadremaining frosting smoothly over top andsides of cake.
14. Drizzle top of cake with 3tablespoons sauce. Cover with cake dome;chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made1 day ahead; keep chilled.
15. Let stand at roomtemperature 30 minutes before continuing.
16. Cut pecans into pieces or leave whole.Press pecans into frosting on sides of cake.
17. Cut cake into wedges. Spoon sauce over.