Spiced Rum Fig Cake Recipe

Place the quartered dried figs in a small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup spiced rum and 1/4 cup hot water over the figs, add the orange zest, stir gently, and let soak for 20–30 minutes until plump. Reserve any remaining soaking liquid.

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Lightly flour the sides.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract and 1/4 cup spiced rum from the batter ingredients.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the whole milk (start and end with the dry ingredients). Mix just until combined — do not overmix.

Fold in the soaked figs and any reserved soaking liquid (use up to 2 tablespoons of soaking liquid to avoid a soggy batter). Ensure figs are evenly distributed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the batter and use a small spatula to make a shallow swirl if desired. The oil helps create a glossy top and a subtle fruity finish.

Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the cake is golden, a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), and the top springs back lightly when touched.

If the top browns too quickly, tent the cake loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, remove parchment, then turn right-side up to finish cooling completely (about 1 hour total cooling time).

When ready to serve, cut the cake into 8 slices. Place a warm or room-temperature slice on each plate.

Drizzle about 1/4 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil across each slice (divide the 1 tablespoon used earlier; remaining 1 tablespoon reserved for finishing). Sprinkle a light pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of coarse sea salt over each slice to heighten flavors.

Top each slice with a generous scoop (about 1/2 cup) of vanilla gelato. If desired, dust lightly with powdered sugar for presentation.

Serve immediately so the cold gelato contrasts with the warm cake. Leftover cake keeps tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated up to 5 days; let come to room temperature before serving. Gelato should be kept frozen until serving.