Pumpkin Maple Drizzle Cakes

Make the cakes: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with butter, line the bottom and long sides with a sheet of parchment paper, then grease the paper and dust the whole pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until the last bits of flour are absorbed. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Bake the cakes until they’re slightly domed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and transfer to cooling racks.

While the cakes are baking, make the syrup: In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup maple syrup, the orange juice and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, spoon the syrup mixture slowly over the cakes, dividing the syrup evenly between them, so that they soak up the syrup gradually. Let the cakes cool completely.

Make the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup with the powdered sugar until it forms a thick paste. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice and stir until you have a smooth icing that’s very thick but still pourable. Add more lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, if needed to ensure the icing is pourable but still thick.

Pour the icing evenly over the top of both cakes in one motion, letting it spread itself out over the tops of the cakes and drip down the sides. Let the cakes stand, undisturbed, until the icing firms, at least 20 minutes, before serving.