During the six months that we spend in Umbria each year I bake a lot for our farmhouse guests. I prefer baking easy rustic looking cakes using seasonal ingredients that our guests can enjoy for either breakfast or dessert.
Although I have some favorite recipes that I know everyone will love, I do get bored baking the same thing week after week, so I am always trying new recipes. Fig season is just about over here in Umbria, and unfortunately, the two trees that I pick my figs from were not very prolific this year. I did not have enough figs for jam, so instead I used them in my baked goods.
This cake uses both ripe bananas and fresh figs was so tasty that I have probably made it six times in the past two months for both our guests and ourselves. It has also now gone into my “favorites” file to bake whenever fresh figs are in season. I used spelt flour to enrich the cake and found that both whole grain and light spelt work great in this cake.
Olive oil also replaces butter which is a much more heart healthy option to use in baked goods. I used my fresh figs two ways; chopped in the cake itself and sliced to decorate the top. This cake does not need any icing or glaze, and if you want to decorate it with anything, a sprinkling of powdered sugar is all it needs.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Banana Fig Spelt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Spelt Flour (Light or Whole Grain)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs (At Room Temperature)
- 1 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Ripe Bananas, Mashed
- 2 Cups Chopped Fresh Figs
To Decorate:
- 4 to 5 Fresh Figs, Sliced
- Powdered Sugar (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease a 10-inch springform pan with non-stick spray.
- Line the pan with 4 intersecting strips of parchment paper cut 2 inches wide.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- With an electric mixer, in a separate mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and mashed banana.
- Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, continue to mix on medium low until well blended.
- Stir in the chopped figs.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smooth the top, then arrange the sliced figs around the outer edge of the cake,
- Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the side ring.
- Cool completely, then use the parchment strip to lift the cake off the bottom and place on a cake plate.
- If you prefer, dust the cake lightly with powdered sugar before serving.