So what do you do with fresh figs?  The Lancaster Central Market was literally bursting with fresh fruit, and the figs at Meck’s produce stand were big and beautiful, and hard to resist.  A while back I made a wonderful chicken dish topped with a beautiful braised fig sauce, and it was as good as it sounds, but this time, E. was craving something sweet.  So to the Internet we cruised and read through numerous cake, pudding, and tart recipes until we stumbled upon one that tickled both our fancies.  And considering that it was a rainy Saturday afternoon with nothing (incredibly!) on the schedule, E. went into a frenzy of baking, making desserts, desserts, desserts!  Out to the garden for a large bunch of rhubarb (her rhubarb crisp is the stuff of legend!), and away she went.  The result, among other things, was this excellent breakfast coffee cake, which dazzled and didn’t make it past nine on Sunday morning.  She made it in a spring form pan, but the original recipe was shown in a cast-iron skillet.  I think the next time we make it I will try it that way.  It took longer than recommended to firm up in the springform pan, so I think the skillet is probably the way to go.  Try this one yourself–do it both ways and see which way you like it better–and report back.  Can’t think of a better way to kill a fig.

Fresh Fig and Almond Breakfast Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

tsp baking soda

tsp salt

tsp ground cardamom

cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cups buttermilk

cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

tsp almond extract (pure)

10 figs (fresh, depending on the size, sliced in half)

cup sliced almonds

3 tbsps turbinado (or granulated sugar for topping)

Preparation:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter and flour a 10-inch cast iron skillet.  You can also use a 10-inch cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and sugar. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and butter.  Whisk in the vanilla and almond extract.

Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined and no lumps remain.  Spoon batter into the prepared pan.  Top batter with fresh figs, gently pressing the figs part-way into the batter.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds and then sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Allow cake to cool to room temperature before slicing to serve.

Cake will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days

From Joy Wilson, JoytheBaker.com