Fig Spice Cake

Pardon me for posting two fig-centric recipes in a row, but it’s the height of fig season and this cake is simply too good not to try. Even if you haven’t got a fig tree, or FWFT (friends with fig trees), you can find figs in the farmers’ markets right now, so hurry and get some to make this cake. You’ll need about a cup’s worth, half the amount of the bowl of figs I was lucky enough to receive from my friend Madeline.

The cake comes together quickly in a bowl, stirring by hand. No waiting for butter to soften either, since it uses oil (I used olive oil and a little less than originally called for) instead. The recipe, from a book called “Under the Fig Leaf” also contains pecans as an optional ingredient, but if I were you, I wouldn’t skip them. They add a nice crunch to the cake.

While the cake is nearly finished baking, you make a quick glaze that you cook for three minutes. Then poke holes all over the cake and pour the hot glaze over everything.

It’s such a moist and flavorful cake with a great texture all by itself, but next time I make this (and it will be soon with those leftover figs), I’m going to make sure to have either whipped cream or ice cream on hand to serve alongside the cake.

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Fig Spice Cake

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used about 3/4 cup olive oil)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extraaact
• Recipe from the cookbook “Under The Fig Leaf”
• 1 cup fresh figs, chopped, stems removed
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• FOR THE GLAZE:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Blend together the first 7 ingredients in aa large bowl.
3. Stir in the eggs, oil aand buttermilk, mixing well.
4. Fold in the vanilla, figs and pecans.
5. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish,
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove to a wire cooling rack.
8. Pierce the top of the cake all over with a toothpick or a fork.
9. Drizzle glaze over the cake.
10. Serve witth whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
11. FOR THE GLAZE:
12. Bring all the ingredientts to a boil in a small saucepan and cook for 3 minutes
13. Pour over the cake.

3.5.3251