Simple Fig Cake

The fig cake is a delicious dessert that celebrates the sweet and slightly honey-like flavor of these fruits. Here is a simple version of the recipe:

Ingredients

• 150 g of sugar
• 150 g of soft butter
• 3 eggs
• 200 g of all-purpose flour
• 1 packet of baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• One teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 250 g of fresh figs
• Powdered sugar (optional, for decoration)

Preparation

1. Prepare the ingredients and preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. In a sufficiently large bowl, cream the soft butter with the sugar until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir in the grated lemon zest and vanilla extract to flavor the batter.
5. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, then add these dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture, mixing well until the batter is smooth.
6. Wash the figs, dry them, remove the stem and cut them into wedges or slices. If you prefer, you can leave some whole to decorate the top of the cake.
7. Pour half of the batter into a previously buttered and floured pan (or lined with parchment paper). Spread half of the sliced figs over it.
8. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and level it out well. Distribute the remaining figs on the surface.
9. Bake the cake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Before serving, if you wish, you can sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Curiosity

Figs are ancient fruits and are often associated with Mediterranean civilizations, particularly Greek and Roman, where they were considered symbols of abundance and fertility. The fig cake is a dessert that takes advantage of the natural sweetness of these fruits, foregoing overly complex seasonings to let their flavor stand out in the recipe.