Maple Apple Cake with White Chocolate Leaves

Ingredients

For Cake:

1 1/2cups unsalted buttersoftened
2 1/4cups granulated sugar
4 egg whites
1tablespoon vanilla extract
3cups all-purpose flour
1/4teaspoon baking soda
2 3/4teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon salt
1 1/2cups Whole milk

For Maple Buttercream:

4 egg whitesroom temperature
2tablespoons sugar
1cup bourbon barrel aged maple syrup
3sticks unsalted buttersoftened
1tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1/4teaspoon salt

For Apple Pie Filling:

2 1/2cups apples, preferably granny smithpeeled, cored and cut into 1/4″ dice
2 1/2teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4cup granulated sugar
1/4cup brown sugarpacked
2tablespoons corn starch
1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
generous pinch salt
1 1/4cups water

For White Chocolate Leaves:

5-10 leaveschoose leaves with smooth texture on back, freshly washed
10oz. white chocolate candy meltsI like Ghirardelli
copper luster dust
vodka or alcoholto make the paint