This maple syrup cake, otherwise known as Pouding Chômeur, was born of the Great Depression—yet it is decidedly rich. This Quebecois dessert comprises a coarse-crumbed cake, a luscious sauce of maple syrup and cream, and a caramelized, craggy top. To ensure that the cake remained separate from the from the maple-cream sauce, we added more flour to provide structure and more butter to “waterproof” the batter. To make sure the top of the cake caramelized, we baked it in the top half of a 375-degree oven.