We are almost there.. the end of the week – WOO HOO!! If your week has been anything like mine, it’s been a “flying by the seat of your pants” kinda week. Which means virtually no time to plan meals let alone dessert.
But I have a solution for that. This cake.
It’s simple…. and simply delicious.
It’s the kind of cake that everyone should know how to make since it can be made from pantry staples and topped with just about any fresh fruit you can think of. Since I had some beautiful figs to use up, I used those. But it would be delicious with plums, apricots, peaches, berries, pears, apples.. well, you get the idea. Brushed with a little infused simple syrup (I liked ginger for this, but the vanilla syrup would work beautifully too) it has just the right balance of fruit, cake and sweetness. Left plain or “gussied up” with either whipped cream or ice cream, its the perfect ending to an evening meal or a perfect “snack” to have in the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea. Or a late night snack… (but we won’t talk about that, ok?).
So throw a steak or two on the grill, toss a big salad and roast some potatoes… and then bring out this cake. Your family will wonder how, after a week like this, you pulled this off. They will think you are amazing… and they would be right!!
This cake is best served the day it is made.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 pint fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
- 2 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp. ginger syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10 inch springform pan. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a second bowl, combine the milk, oil, egg, vanilla and sugar. Fold the liquids into the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the cut figs on top of the cake in a decorative pattern. Dot the top of the cake with the cubes of butter. Bake for 30 -35 minutes until top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. When cake is warm brush the figs with the ginger syrup.
- Let cool. Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan and then release the pan.
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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
I wish I had some of this now…a dreary chilly day here and it would be great for breakfast as yogurt is just not doing it for me this morning. So I think I’m going to make this for breakfast but use some peaches that HAVE to be used. Pray for me…you know my travails in Denver…will be interesting to see if the fruit remains visible and the cake as pretty as yours.
I’m not kidding you know…off to do it now.
Hope the cake comes out all right!! Wishing we had some of your cool weather – I am sitting here in a tank top and shorts and it is warm!!
Gorgeous cake Nancy! As a lover of fresh figs and the proud caretaker of one little fig tree, I can see a cake like this in my future…that is if I can stop eating them right off the tree long enough to make this cake!
Lucky you!! Figs are best right off the tree – wish I had a tree because I love fresh figs!
What a beautiful cake! And the ginger syrup sounds absolutely heavenly.
Thanks Shawnda!!! If you haven’t made this syrup you should – it lasts forever in the fridge and I find I use it all the time!!
Figs and ginger and two of my favorite flavors. This sounds fabulous, Nancy!
Your photos stopped me in my tracks – even more gorgeous than usual – well done you.
Awww… thanks Lucy!!! I just keep working at it – fun to see that I am making progress though!!!
I am very excited it’s the end of the week! It’s been a loooong one. This cake looks like a piece of art.
Aww…. thanks Allison!! I’m with you … it’s been a very “long” short week!
Nancy this cake looks amazing! I must get my hands on some figs pronto! I would love if you shared this link on my current post. Your photos are wonderful!
Loved seeing you & catching up yesterday
Hey Marla!!
It was great to see you too!! Will definitely be linking up some of my cakes with your post!!!
Wow. This really is an easy recipe, even a non-baker like me could tackle! Guess who’s going to buy extra fruit this weekend in hopes of making this wonderful recipe? Me!
Thanks!
Non baker??? Hmmm…. seems to me I saw some pretty impressive scones on your site a while back Missy!!! But in all seriousness, it’s a very simple cake and very versatile!!
Beautiful cake!
Thanks Maria!! Wish I lived closer because I’d bring you one!!
Figs are so magical. I’ve been devouring them lately! The season is so fleeting.
I know!! I have been gorging on them lately … so darn good!
I can imagine making this with so many kinds of fruit making a recipe to pull out all throughout the year. GREG
That’s the beauty of it!!!! I think it would be delicious with pears!!
I love this! I just made a fig cake last weekend and I’m a little obsessed.
I completely understand… I feel the same way about anything with figs in it!
Ok so I love figs and I love ginger syrup…I never would’ve thought about marrying the two together!!! I must try this!!!!!
Hope you enjoy it Jen – I really loved the ginger and figs together!
This is a beautiful cake and a superb site~ happy to have found it and planning regular visits~ I am waiting though to make this cake when I am in Lebanon and I can pluck the figs off the trees in our family orchard. The ones I have bought at the supermarkets so far have been tasteless.
Hello!! Thank you so much for your kind words!! Lucky you to have access to fresh from the tree figs – these I bought at the farmers market and they were good – but you are right, many of the figs in the market are tasteless. Hope you enjoy your trip and this cake!
What a beautiful cake, Nancy. I would be happy to slow down a little during the week, especially if it meant sitting down to share this cake with someone.
Thanks Dara!!
Wish we lived closer so we could enjoy this cake with a cup of tea!!!
What a beautiful recipe – perfect for Fall or as a holiday dessert.
Thanks Maris!
Definitely one of those recipes that comes in handy when you need dessert and haven’t been to the store!
Figs and ginger – loving it already and I haven’t even made it yet!
I hope you like it Sylvie!!! It’s one of my favorite combinations!
Oh wow! This cake is sooo perfect for fall! I love the fig and ginger combination!
Thanks Christina!!
I am kind of a ginger fiend so I tend to use it a lot! Thanks so much for stopping by the Table!
I absolutely love your photography, and this cake looks amazing. I’ve only just recently cooked with figs and I love them! I’ll have to try this out
Hi Nicole!!
Thank you so much – photography is definitely a passion of mine and I am always working on making mine better! Welcome to the fig lover’s club!! This cake is really good with ripe figs or any other fruit – but for me, it really is all about the figs!!!
Oo this looks beautiful! I havnt baked with figs yet…soon!
Hi Sasha!! I think you will love them!!!
I may be coming into a bounty of figs from a friend at work with a tree tomorrow, so yahoo! Figs are my fave, and this looks fab!
I am so jealous… in a good way!!! I love figs too.. especially just picked ones!!
okay – this is my favorite post/recipe to date. I am so in love with everything about this that I am adding figs to my market list.
Aww…. thanks Susan!! I truly love figs and I loved them in this cake – simple but satisfying!!