February 20, 2009

The Vanishing Cake....

This cake rocks my world. It is sooooo good! This is the second time I've made it, and I'm telling you people, it is awesome. I'm surprised it even made it into the cake pan because I kept eating the batter! I made this one night when Pete and Dana came over for dinner, and they loved it as well. Between the four of us, this whole cake went up in smoke in less than a day. One day! Oh, my poor hips.

The cake is so moist and delicious, with bites of gooey fig jam and a to-die-for buttermilk frosting that seeps through the whole thing. Yes, the fruit and milk combo makes this a perfectly acceptable breakfast item. If it makes it to the next morning that is. And of course, it only gets better the longer it sits around.

Did you know that if you are out of buttermilk, you can substitute by combining 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and 1 cup of milk and letting it stand for 10 minutes? I bet you knew that already. I learned this while reading this recipe about a year ago and it has been one of my go-to tricks ever since. 

Pecan Fig Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Cake:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in a little bit of hot water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fig jam or coarsely chopped preserved figs
1 cup pecans

Buttermilk Glaze:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake:
  • Preheat oven to 350℉.
  • Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
  • In a large bowl, beat eggs for a few minutes or until they become light yellow and smooth.
  • Add sugar and oil and beat well to form a smooth, thick batter.
  • In a separate small bowl, sift together the flour, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt.
  • Add 1/2 flour mixture to egg batter and stir with a large spoon to combine.
  • Add buttermilk. 
  • Add remaining flour mixture, baking soda and vanilla extract, stirring to combine.
  • Gently stir in figs and pecans, just mixing till evenly distributed.
  • Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the cake is browned, firm on top and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool cake in pan on top of a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  • To remove, run a table knife around the pan and gently turn the cake out.
Glaze:
  • Prepare glaze while the cake bakes.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the buttermilk, sugar, butter, cornstarch and baking soda, and bring to a gentle boil.
  • Remove at once, stir well and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Stir in vanilla.
  • Once cake has slightly cooled, pour glaze over top. If desired, poke small holes in the cake so that the glaze can run inside. (I actually did this while the cake was still in the pan, which made the glaze on the bottom of the cake. Still delicious and less of a mess!).

18 comments:

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

Oh wow that would be a yummy addition to my coffee this morning.
Yummy!

Cherie said...

This looks like the perfect coffee cake. I know what you mean about the batter:)

Dewi said...

Nancy McDermott, This name is so familiar....
Ah, I remember now, I have her book, not this one, but the "Real Vegetarian Thai" cookbook. It's a good book, bet this one too. Look at the result of your cake. Sounds so delicious with fig jam, of course!
Cheers,
Elra

Foodiewife said...

What a beautiful cake! I alway keep buttermilk in my fridge, and would you believe that I keep a jar of fig jam on hand? LOVE figs! Looks like this is my new recipe for the weekend.
Gawd, I'd love to have a slice of that with my morning coffee, at my desk right about NOW!
Can't wait to tell you how good it was.

Debby

Anonymous said...

Wow! If the photos are any indication it definitely looks delicious! Moist and flavorful. Yum. This may be a gotta try!

grace said...

the moistness of this is quite evident--what a stellar cake! and i'm always amazed at the power of a glaze--it can improve an already delicious creation twice over!

kickpleat said...

this looks so good! i've got figs leftover from making some fig newtons recently and this looks like a great way to use them up.

Aimée said...

Wow, amazing line-up of ingredients!This looks fab.

Sara said...

Wow does this cake look good! I love figs, they're one of my favorites.

The Blonde Duck said...

It looks delicious!

Lori said...

Oh my gosh! That cake looks awesome! I've never had a fig cake before.

Culinary Wannabe said...

Hi Foodie - I wish we had more of it to have with coffee as well!

Hi Cherie - The batter is my favorite part!

Hi Elra - I love this cake book, I'll have to look into the Thai one.

Hi Debby - I really hope you like it as much as we did!

Hi Jamie - It's delicious, especially with the glaze.

Hi Grace - I think glaze makes just about anything taste good!

Hi Kickpleat - Figs are never a bad thing to have!

Hi Aimée - Yep, I think I made this recipe like an hour after first reading it and seeing all the yumminess in it.

Hi Sara - I had never really baked with figs before this, but I definitely will again.

Hi Blonde Duck - Thanks!!

Hi Lori - I hadn't either, but let me tell you, you would love it!

Donna-FFW said...

This looks so wonderful. I love the flavors, and the glaze, wow! Ive never had a cke with fig before. I have to try this!

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious and yes in a pinch I always make buttermilk!

Maria said...

I better make this when we have company, or I will eat the whole thing! It looks awesome!

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

Yum, sounds like I should stay far away from this cake...too dangerous.

Stacey Snacks said...

I am trying not to bake or eat sweets!
I love figs almost as much as I love my husband.
and yes, I always substitute lemon juice and skim milk for buttermilk!

Screw it, I am making this cake anyway! It's 17 degrees outside, where I am going?

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