Spiced Fig & Almond Cake

Welcome back to my kitchen!

After a day of recipe testing that didn't go to plan, pastry and Aussie summers do not go together. I made the spiced figs before the pastry catastrophe and wanted to find something to use them in. So, I threw together a quick almond vanilla cake and popped the figs with their syrup on top and banged it in the oven and forgot about it until the timer went off. And I think this is one of my favourite bakes of all time, great with a dollop of yoghurt or ice cream. 

So let's get started!

                               

                                 

                                  

Makes: 1 9-inch cake -Prep time: 10 minutes -Cook time: 40-45 minutes - Serves: 10-12

Equipment

Small frypan

Medium bowl

Small bowl

Spatula

8 or 9'' springform pan

Kitchen scale

Ingredients

Almond Cake

125g almond meal

220g plain flour

190g sugar

4g salt, I use Himalayan

4g baking powder

2 eggs

110g greek style yoghurt

50g neutral oil, I use olive oil

50g milk, dairy or plant based

10g mead, optional

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

Spiced Figs

180g soft dried figs, quartered lengthways

40g unsalted butter

60g brown sugar

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

20g water

Method

Spiced Figs:

Place a small frypan over medium heat. Add 40g unsalted butter, 60g brown sugar, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, and 20g water to the pan. Stir gently until the butter is melted and the mixture is well combined. Add the 180g figs to the pan. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the figs are softened and coated in a thin, glossy syrup. The syrup should remain pourable and not too sticky, ensuring the figs are well-coated but not overwhelmed. Remove the pan from heat. Cover and let the figs sit for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to an hour.

Almond Cake:

Preheat oven to 185°C. Line a 8 or 9" spring form pan with baking paper and place on a lined baking tray, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 125g almond flour, 220g plain flour, 190g sugar, 4g salt, 4g baking powder, stir until well combined.

In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 110g yoghurt, 50g oil, 50g milk, 10g mead, ½ tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp almond extract. Whisk until smooth, pour into dry ingredients, mix making sure to scrape the bottom of your bowl —do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin, dot the cake with figs and syrup.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, I start to check at the 38 minute mark, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and if you give it a try, let me know how it turns out! Your feedback means the world to me. Happy baking!

Much love,