Dried Figs Recipe - Fig Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

I was excited about making venison sausage for the first time. It was something I had never done before and I was pleased with gaining a new skill. The recipe I created used dried figs but when I went shopping I wasn’t sure how many I’d need so I just bought a lot. That left me with some leftover fruit which left in need of a dried figs recipe. Of course I leaned towards a dessert.

The hubby had a meeting and when he needs a baked treat it’s best if I make him something that’s easy to eat with the hands. So of course I made one of my favorite types of cake – a bundt. I adapted the recipe from the cookbook Fruit by Nanie McDermott.

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Fig Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

3 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

to make fig jam
1 cup dried figs, halved (preferably organic)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water

for the glaze
1/2 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 TBS butter
1 1/2 tsp flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 vanilla bean split and scraped or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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Preheat oven to 350°
Butter and flour a bundt pan

Make the fig jam

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add the dried figs, sugar and water to a small saucepan and heat to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook for about half an hour.
Use an immersion blender to break up the figs to a smooth paste. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully remove the mixture to a food processor and pulse with the steel blade until it resembles a thick jam.
Let cool to room temperature.
Whisk together the flour, nutmeg, Chinese five spice, cinnamon, salt and baking soda
Combine the milk and sour cream
In a stand mixer with the paddle attached beat the eggs until light yellow and smooth.
Add the oil and sugars and beat for about 3 minutes until well incorporated.
Add the flour mixture in thirds and sour cream/milk mixture in halves alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour.
Mix in the vanilla
Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the walnuts, then fold in the fig jam.
Carefully pour into the prepared bundt pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40- 50 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
While the cake is baking make the glaze.
Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan and stir until the butter melts.
If using the vanilla bean scrape out the seeds and add it to the ingredients in the pan and then add the bean.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.
Let cook for a few minutes until the glaze thickens. Remove the pieces of vanilla bean. Set aside.

When the cake is done let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
Remove the cake from the bundt pan.
Set the rack over a bowl so you can collect the run off glaze – slowly pour the glaze over the cake while it is still warm.

Repeat.
I then waited until the glaze hardened a little and then returned and repeated pouring the glaze over the cake repeatedly until all of the glaze was used.

If desired sprinkle with pearl sugar

How Was It?

I have no blessed clue. As I noted the cake went with the hubby to a meeting. He came back and told me that everyone enjoyed it and there was none left so that is always a good sign.

I can tell you the batter was tasty – not that I am recommending anyone eat cake batter. It’s a bad, bad thing to do.

By all reports this was a delicious, moist cake. I will have to make it again so I can personally attest to that. I will just have to get some more figs.