Fall Fig Balsamic Cake

Moist and irresistible, this cake is greater than the sum of its parts. The fig-balsamic glaze, lemon zest, and buttery olive oil meld into a flavor that’s at once familiar and entirely new.

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE:

·        ¾ cup granulated sugar

·        1 lemon, all zest

·        3 large eggs, room temp

·        4 tbsp sour cream, room temp

·        1 cup Paula Deen Butter Olive Oil

·        ½ cup Paula Deen Fig Balsamic Vinegar

·        1 ½ cups cake flour

·        ¹/₃ cup almond flour

·        2 tsp baking powder

·        ½ tsp baking soda

·        ¼ tsp salt

Balsamic Glaze:

·        ¹/₂ cup confectioner’s sugar

·        6 tbsp whole milk

·        6 tbsp Paula Deen Fig Balsamic Vinegar 

Topping:

·        Confectioner’s sugar

·        Red grapes, thinly sliced 

Directions: 

Cake:

·      Heat oven to 340°F. Use butter olive oil to coat the bottom of a 9" round cake-pan and then line it with a circle of parchment paper; set aside.

·      In a large bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Using your fingers, rub together until sugar turns a bit yellowish and the smell of citrus emanates.

·      Add eggs. Whisk for a couple minutes until mixture is smooth and palish yellow.

·      Add sour cream, butter olive oil, and fig balsamic. Use a spatula to mix until combined.

·      In two rounds, sift cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into wet ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture. Be sure to disperse and incorporate all hidden flour pockets without overmixing the batter.

·      Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

·      Bake for 35 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few fluffy crumbs attached.

·      Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

·      Make balsamic glaze.

Balsamic Glaze:

·      Pour the vinegar into a medium saucepan. Gives room so not to boil over.

·      Add confectioner’s sugar. Taste as it reduces - if it gets too sharp, add a little more sugar.

·      Bring to a gentle simmer. Heat over medium-low. Avoid boiling, which can make it bitter.

·      Reduce the vinegar by letting it simmer gently for 10–20 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. The final texture should be syrupy, not watery. Don’t over-reduce; it can harden when cooled.

·      Cool slightly. The glaze will thicken more as it cools.

·        Once your cake is totally cool, dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Drizzle fig balsamic glaze over cake. Top with thinly sliced red grapes.

OPTIONS: (1) Using an ice pick, punch holes in top of cake before drizzling glaze to give more internal flavor. (2) Substitute fresh figs in place of the grapes.