Author: Susan Murray, www.awomancooksinasheville.com
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
¼cbutterroom temperature
1csugar
1egg
2cflour
½tspsalt
2tspbaking powder
1cHalf & Half
1tspvanilla
¼tspalmond extract
1cchopped fresh figs
FOR THE FIG JAM
2cchopped fresh figs
¼cbrown sugarpacked
¼cwater
1tbsplemon juice
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8” round cake pans with baking spray.
Stir together the flour, salt and baking powder.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat it for at least 5 minutes at high speed, until it is very light and creamy. Stop and scrap the bottom of the bowl at least once.
Add the egg and continue to beat for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/3 c half and half. Mix together then add half of the remaining flour and another 1/3 c of half and half. Stir this in and then add the remaining flour and last 1/3 c of cream.
Fold in the vanilla, almond extract, and the fresh figs.
Divide the batter equally into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the oven 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes in the tins and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE FIG JAM
While the cake is baking, make the fig jam.
Place all of the ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the jam is thick. It should stay separated in the pan when a spoon is stirred through it.
Let the jam cool completely
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
Place one layer of the cooled cake on a cake plate. Top with all but ½ cup of the jam.
Spread the jam across the cake and to the edges. Top with the second layer.
Pile the remaining jam on top of the cake. Garnish with a few almonds if desired.