Follonico Fig Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, tapping out the excess flour.
• Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on medium low, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing until smooth. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined. Don't worry; the ricotta will make it look lumpy.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the figs on the cake, cut sides up, in snug but not-overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a baking rack for 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to a cake plate, and serve warm with crème fraîche on the side.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch cake pan (or two 9-inch pans), and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, baking soda and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk to combine sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Whisk in oil and buttermilk or yogurt to combine.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture just until combined. Fold in figs, jam and pecans.
• Scrape into prepared cake pan and bake until browned and springy to the touch, about 65 to 75 minutes (or 35 to 45 minutes for the 9-inch pans). If the top gets too dark before the cake is finished baking, cover it with foil. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and salt on low speed until smooth. Beat in honey and vanilla, then beat in confectioners' sugar.
• To assemble the cake, remove cooled cake from pan and peel off parchment paper. Slice cake in half horizontally, so you end up with 2 layers. (You don't need to do this for the 9-inch cakes.) Spread half the frosting between the layers, sandwiching it. Dollop remaining frosting in a thick layer on top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the top of the cake, the sides, bare. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, top with sliced figs.

Steps:

• Make a fig puree. Coarsely chop figs and combine with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Puree in a food processor (there will be about two-and-a-fourth cups of puree).
• Cream the butter and the sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add fig puree and mix well.
• Sift together the dry ingredients and add them to the fig mixture alternately with the cream.
• Butter and flour a bundt-cake pan. Pour in fig batter. Bang the pan several times to settle. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 70 to 80 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a rack and turn it out.