Chocolate Fig Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE AND OLIVE OIL FIG CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the cakes: Brush a 6-cup muffin pan with olive oil and dust with flour. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1/4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let cool slightly. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in another bowl.
• Combine the sugar, egg and egg yolk, vanilla and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake 10 minutes, then top each cake with a fig half and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, 8 to 10 more minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack, 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and let cool completely on the rack.
• Make the glaze: Put the chocolate, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth.
• Top the cakes with the glaze, a drizzle of honey and more pepper. Quarter the remaining 6 fig halves and arrange on top.

CHOCOLATE-FIG CAKE WITH MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom and side of 9- or 10-inch springform pan with shortening; lightly flour. In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, combine figs and wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and cool while preparing batter.
• In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat at medium speed until thick and creamy, scraping bowl occasionally. Add flour, cocoa and baking soda. Beat at low speed until moistened, scraping bowl occasionally. Add melted chocolate, figs and wine. Beat at low speed until mixed. Spread in pan.
• Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 2 hours. Remove side of pan.
• In medium bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla at low speed until mixed. Beat at medium speed until thick and creamy. Frost side and top of cake.
• To make garnish, pull vegetable peeler along edges of chocolate bar to form curls. (If curls crumble, slightly warm chocolate bar with hand.) Garnish cake with chocolate curls. Store in refrigerator.

FRESH FIG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with the evaporated milk. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts and 1 cup chopped figs.
• Divide into two prepared 8-inch round cake pans. Bake in preheated oven until cake springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake layers on wire rack.
• To make the filling: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups chopped figs, brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Spread thinly between cooled cake layers and on top.

WARM FIG AND CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius.
• Add 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar to a small, oven-proof, high-sided sauté pan with a 6-inch/15-centimeter base (or similar). Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan a few times, until the sugar has melted and turned a dark caramel color, 5 to 8 minutes. Carefully add the rum - it will spit and seize up a little - and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring until combined and thick. Remove from the heat, stir in the orange juice and figs, and set aside to cool.
• Add the egg yolks to a medium bowl along with 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar. Whisk by hand until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and orange zest, then whisk until smooth and thick.
• In another medium bowl, using a clean whisk, whisk the egg whites by hand with the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar until they form stiff peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. Fold gently into the yolk batter, then pour the mixture over the figs in the sauté pan (it should cover the figs completely).
• Sprinkle all over with the chocolate and bake until the batter rises and is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, divide among four bowls and drizzle with any remaining liquid from the pan. Serve hot, with some crème fraîche alongside.

CHOCOLATE AND FIG TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and, working quickly with the tips of your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the size of chickpeas. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolks, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk (reserving the last tablespoon if needed to moisten). Work the flour into the well until it comes together. Knead one or two times in the bowl for a smooth ball. Flour your hands well and press the dough into a tart pan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the figs, orange juice and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler. Set aside. Add the ricotta, sour cream, egg yolk, remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, salt, cream and orange zest to a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Add the chocolate and marinated figs with their juice; stir until combined. Pour the filling into the tart shell and spread evenly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is puffed and beginning to crack, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hour before refrigerating until fully chilled, about 2 hours.
• Slice into wedges, dust with powdered sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

FIG AND CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 7-inch square baking dish and line with parchment paper.
• Mix together 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, eggs, yogurt, olive oil, and vanilla extract in a bowl until well combined. Sift 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and baking powder on top of the batter and fold in gently.
• Place figs, cut side-down, onto the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon batter on top of the figs and level top with the back of a spoon.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm to the touch, about 50 minutes. If cake starts to brown too much, cover with foil after 30 minutes of baking time.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in the baking dish for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a serving platter and peel off the parchment paper.

CHOCOLATE FIG HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the honey just to a boil; remove from the heat.
• Stir in the tea and grated lemon rind; set pan aside and let cool slightly.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, allspice and salt; stir in the figs.
• Set the bowl aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs until pale and frothy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in the oil and vanilla.
• Beat in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until slightly thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Alternately fold in the flour and honey mixtures, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of honey, to make a thin batter.
• Pour the batter into a greased 10" Bundt pan.
• Bake in the centre of a 325 degree F oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until the cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.
• With a knife, loosen the edges of the cake; turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.
• For the drizzle, melt the chocolate over hot (not boiling) water.
• Dip the tines of a fork into the chocolate; drizzle over the cake.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND FIG CAKE

Steps:

• Place figs in a small bowl with liqueur. Allow to soak for 3 - 4 hours or alternatively microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition.
• Blend in syrup.
• Sift together flours and cinnamon. Fold into creamed mixture, alternating with milk.
• Lightly mix in figs, almond meal and chocolate.
• Pour mixture into greased 20cm bundt cake mould or ring tin.
• Bake in moderate oven 180 degrees C for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in tin for 5 minutes.
• Dust with icing sugar when cool.