Upside Down Fig Cake

I am always looking for new ideas to use my beloved fresh figs.

How about an upside down cake? You can eat this right side up if you like.

Easy to put together, however, a big pain to remove from the pan in one piece.
Good luck with that.

I adapted a few recipes and came out with this winner.
Serve with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.



Upside Fresh Fig Cake: (loosely adapted from GroupRecipes.com)

1 stick butter, plus 4 tbsp butter for the figs (12 tbsp total)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
8 fresh figs, stems removed, cut in half
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 small lemon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk

I used a 9" cast iron skillet and it worked out well, but you can also bake this in a 9" parchment lined cake pan. Just cook the sugar/butter/fig mixture first on the stove, then pour into the lined cake pan for easy lift out.



Place half stick of butter in the cast iron skillet w/ the 1/2 cup of brown sugar and melt together, adding the fresh figs (flesh side down) to the pan. Let the figs caramelize for 2 minutes in the bubbling sugar/butter mixture, without disturbing them.



Make the batter by mixing together the rest of the ingredients and pouring on top of the figs.



Spread carefully and bake in a 350F oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is cracking and pulling away from the sides.

Let rest on a cooling rack (be careful when you remove the cast iron from the oven, it will be HOT!) for about 20 minutes.



Carefully invert onto a serving platter. If some of the figs stick to the pan, not to worry, just place them back on top of the cake, no one will notice.



The top will harden and be sticky & sweet. I liked this cake best warm.

Serve with ice cream or plain.



Delicious!

Share|