Fig & Almond Cake

Dropping in the recipe of one my favorite cake recipes ever! It’s a Fig and Almond cake . It is an elevated tea cake recipe that is super easy to make but scores a total ten on taste and texture ! You can easily divide the recipe in half , this yields a substantial sized eight inch round cake . I have used dried figs in the recipe that I re-hydrated because I didn’t have fresh figs , but you can use fresh ones or even swap dates for figs . Dried figs need to be re-hydrated in water overnight or at least six hours .

This recipe also calls for Almond Paste but if you cant find it then use Marzipan and use 2/3 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup because Marzipan is generally sweeter. You will need :

• 1 cup Butter (at room temperature)

• 1 cup sugar

• 6 large eggs (at room temperature)

• 8 oz Almond paste ( I use Solo Brand)

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cups Figs (soaked in water , overnight)

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

• Preheat Oven to 350° F and grease and parchment line an 8 inch round cake pan.I used a spring form pan.

• Drain the figs and roughly chop them , I cut them in quarter lengthwise just for a prettier effect but it’s optional.

• In a hand mixer start beating butter and slowly add chunks of almond paste (just use your hands to break it into pieces) at the highest speed. Beat for about two minutes until creamy.

• Gradually add sugar beating on high . Cream butter and sugar until well mixed.

• Slowly add in eggs , one at a time and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow in color and fluffy.Add in vanilla extract and mix for a few seconds .

• In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder.

• Slowly add flour mixture to the wet mixture on low speed until well incorporated . Do not over mix.

• Fold in 1/2 a cup of chopped figs in the batter with a spatula .

• Transfer the batter into the cake pan and sprinkle with almonds and arrange remaining figs on top (insert lightly in the batter) and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

• Transfer to a cooling rack and take out of the pan after ten minutes.

• Cool completely and then slice and Enjoy!!