Fig and Honey Cake with Creme Fraiche Whipped Cream

This fig and honey cake is my official farewell to fig season. I know, I’m late, it’s already October and I should be moving on to pumpkin everything. But there was still a bevy of gorgeous, ripe figs at the market last week, and we’re still in the midst of Indian summer here, so I had to do a last bit of baking with them.

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This cake is richer and subtler than the sweet cakes of summer; it’s flavored with honey and has a hint of cinnamon (I experimented with adding more spices but it started edging into full spice cake territory – perhaps better for the holidays!). The frosting is whipped cream mixed with a bit of crème fraiche to give it some tang, and some more honey. It might be a bit gilding the lily, when the figs are already devastatingly ripe and sweet, but I love swirling honey over them. When I bite into it, it’s like tasting the last memory of summer.

I’m going to be a little honest here, too: pumpkin isn’t really my favorite thing (I know! the horror!) so I may be a bit slow in getting some pumpkin-y recipes out, but if you’re already planning for Halloween, may I suggest:

Pumpkin Twinkies

Pumpkin Spice Caramel Lollipops

and just so your furry friends don’t get left out:

Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Happy October!

Fig and Honey Cake

 

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Author: Anita Chu

Serves: (1) 9" cake

Ingredients

Honey Cake

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup (100 g) sugar
• ¼ cup (85 g) honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup (60 g) whole milk

Honey Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

• ¼ cup (2 oz) crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup (110 g) heavy cream

Topping

• About 6-7 ripe figs, halved and quartered

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9" springform pan or cake tin with removable bottom.
2. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
4. Add honey and vanilla extract to mixer and beat until combined.
5. Add eggs one at a time to mixer and beat until combined.
6. Add flour mixture and milk in 3 alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until well combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove when a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack.

For the whipped cream:

1. Whisk the crème fraîche together with the honey in a small bowl.
2. Whip the heavy cream in a stand mixer until it reaches firm peaks.
3. With a rubber spatula, gently fold half of the whipped cream into the crème fraîche and then gently fold in the remaining half.

To assemble the cake:

1. Remove cake from the pan. Spread the whipped cream over the top. Arrange cut figs over the top. Serve immediately.

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