Very nice cake, not as moist as I thought. Maybe do to the fact that I used Granny Smith apples which hold their shape so well. This cake had everyone anxiously awaiting the finished product as it baked, it filled the house with a wonderful fruitcake-christmas-spicy aroma. But the finished product wasn''t really strongly maple or spice but a terrific blend of all ingredients. I have two people in my house who don''t like maple syrup but they didn''t coment on the maple flavor at all and ate their piece just like every one else. **I will probably use half the chopped apples next time and half applesauce.