Fig with balsamic glaze cake

Fig with balsamic glaze cake born out of necessity

When you are given 3kg of homegrown figs there is so much you can eat raw! So out of the need to find a way to use up these beautiful juicy figs, without wasting them, the fig and balsamic glaze cake was created.

I’ve made this a number of times already and shared it with a lot of our family and friends. They all loved it especially the special balsamic glaze icing sauce. Such a comfort autumn cake, easily enjoyed throughout the day and not just for afternoon tea. It is super moist and springy! Full of the fig essence mixed through it, as the whole figs added along the middle release their juices while baking.

Flavours and textures

When I was deciding on the cake flavourings I just kept on thinking of the fresh salad with figs, walnuts and balsamic glaze I make. I know the flavours work well together so I thought surely they should in a cake version right? And they sure do!

Smashing the figs to add to the batter must be my favourite part as the colour shines away! The actual flavour of the fig doesn’t come through very strongly. However you definitely feel it in the texture and you can see the seeds beautifully shaping the exterior.

When you use baking soda in cakes you need to add vinegar to help the cake rise. Usually the vinegar used is apple cider as there is no after taste. However in this case I used balsamic glaze as the flavours of that with the figs go so well together. The balsamic glaze added in the batter as well as the cinnamon adds to the spice and a tiny tingling burn.

How to make balsamic glaze from scratch

You can easily purchase balsamic glaze at the supermarket but if you have balsamic vinegar at home you can make the glaze yourself. For the amount needed for this recipe (batter and sauce) simply bring ¾ cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tbs brown sugar to boil. Then simmer for 15-20min or until the balsamic glaze sticks to the back of the spoon. The better the quality of the balsamic vinegar used the less time required to reach the desired result.

Balsamic glaze icing sauce

This fig with balsamic glaze cake is super moist and delicious on its own! The balsamic glaze icing sauce you drizzle on the top is definitely an added bonus though. A sauce that sounds different and not so typical but you will be pleasantly surprised.

I am the first to admit that I am not a baker. But this certainly is a recipe I am proud to have developed, tastes absolutely amazing and I hope you give it a go. Especially if you have a fig tree growing uncontrollably in the backyard : ) Check out my ricotta phyllo cups with fig jam also if you love figs!

3.5 from 2 votes

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Fig with balsamic glaze cake

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 10 mins

Cooling time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 10

Author: Eleni Georges

Ingredients

Fig with balsamic glaze cake

• 500 g ripe figs,
• 400 g plain flour
• 130 g brown sugar, 2/3 cup
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda, 13g
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbs balsamic glaze
• 1 ¼ cup tap water
• 140 g cup coconut oil, melted (2/3 cup)
• 70 g walnuts, crushed to preference (~ ¾ cup before crushing)
• 3 large firm figs, to add into the batter whole or sliced

Balsamic glaze icing sauce

• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 tbs balsamic glaze
• ½ tbs water

Instructions

Fig with balsamic glaze cake

1. Peel the figs, mash them all using a fork and set aside. There should be about a cup of smashed fig (300g). Preheat the oven to 160°C. 

2. Use a strainer to sift all the dry ingredients. Combine and sift the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. You may need to use a spoon to help you sift through the brown sugar.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the balsamic glaze, oil and water. Add the dry ingredients you sifted into the wet ingredients slowly while mixing until completely combined and no lumps remain.

4. Fold the figs and crushed walnuts in the batter. The finer the nuts the smooth the surface of the cake. Pour the final batter into a lined loaf pan. I used a 23 x 12cm loaf pan.

5. Insert the three figs halfway through the batter, standing along the middle, evenly spaced out. Otherwise you may choose to cut thick slices of the figs to lay them overlapping along the middle of the batter. The firmer the figs the less juices released into the batter while baking.

6. Bake the cake uncovered in the middle rack for 50min. After that time loosely cover the loaf pan with foil and increase the temperature to 180°C for 20min or until a skewer comes out clean. While the cake is baking make the balsamic glaze icing.

Balsamic glaze icing sauce

1. To make the sauce simply stir the ingredients together. You may adjust the ratios according to your taste preference. Then place it in the fridge to thicken a little bit before using it.