This is the season for ripe, succulent figs. It is rare to taste ripe figs in this country but if you are going to now is the time to seek them out in good green grocers where they have been imported from Europe.
So why is it such a pleasure to eat a ripe fig in season? Perhaps they are a timely reminder of the variety of nature. Most of what we do today has become homogenised. Homes and workplaces are the same temperature throughout the year, few jobs have a strong seasonal component. There seems to be less and less to remind us of the flow of time. So when you eat a ripe fig you know for sure it is late summer.
Ripe figs are lovely to eat fresh but they are also great to use in cakes and this one is a cracker. It is moist and light and the combination of figs, honey, almonds and yogurt is wonderful.
Just a tip - if you don't have Greek yogurt, buttermilk is a good substitute. Adding yogurt makes the cake lighter and the acidity adds to the flavour.
Fig, almond and yogurt cake with a warm honey glaze
Makes 8 - 10 slices
Ingredients
- 125g soft unsalted butter/sunflower margarine, at room temperature
- 125g caster sugar
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten and at room temperature
- 100g plain flour (gluten free flour works well too)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 50g ground almonds
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 4 fresh ripe figs, cut in half
- 2 tbsp runny honey
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Butter and line a 20 - 22cm cake tin with silicone baking paper.
Beat the butter/sunflower margarine and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the egg - beating it into the mixture until well incorporated.
Sieve the flour and the baking powder together and fold these into the butter, sugar and egg mixture together with the ground almonds. Add the vanilla essence to the Greek yogurt and gradually fold this into the cake mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and arrange the fig halves in a ring around the top of the cake. Bake in the oven for 40 - 50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
As the cake cools, heat the honey (10 seconds in a microwave) and brush over the surface of the cake. Remove the cake from the tin and allow it to cool on a rack.