Makes 8-10 servings
This is Dorie Greenspan's recipe for A Fig Cake for Fall from her book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Since I adapted it ever so slightly, I merely added the changes in parentheses where applicable.
3/4 cup ruby port (I used Muscato)
1 cup honey, divided
2 thin slices lemon
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (my addition)
16-20 fresh figs, stemmed and halved (I used Calimyrna)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably medium grind
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
grated zest 1/2 lemon (I used 1 whole lemon)
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, at room temperature
3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Stir the port and 1/2 cup honey together in small saucepan. Add
lemon slices and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat. Add
figs, cover, and cook 4-6 minutes, or until figs are soft but not
falling apart. Using a slotted spoon, transfer figs to a bowl. Raise
the heat to medium and cook the liquid for 15 minutes, or until
slightly thickened; the syrup should coat a metal spoon. Remove from
heat and let cool.
2. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper
and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour, tapping
out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
3. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, add sugar and lemon zest; rub together with your
fingertips until the sugar is moist. Add butter. Using a hand mixer,
beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy, about 3
minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each
addition. Pour in remaining 1/2 cup honey, and the vanilla extract;
beat for 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients, and
mix until just incorporated. The batter will be fairly thick. Scrape
the batter into the prepared pan and jiggle the pan from side to side
to even out the batter. Scatter poached figs over the top.
5. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the cake is puffed and golden brown
and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake
to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before running a blunt knife around
the edges and releasing the sides of the pan. Cool the cake slightly
before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Drizzle slices with
wine sauce.
--Recipe courtesy of Susan Russo at Food Blogga