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Ocracoke Island Fig Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Source of Recipe


From "Southern Cakes" by Nancie McDermott



List of Ingredients



• -- For the Fig Cake --
  
• Vegetable shortening, for greasing the pan
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the pan
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup vegetable oil
  
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  
• 1 tsp ground allspice
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• ½ cup buttermilk
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• Hot water
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup coarsely chopped preserved figs or fig jam
  
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
  
• .
  
• -- For the Buttermilk Glaze --
  
• ½ cup buttermilk
  
• ½ cup granulated sugar
  
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
  
• 1½ tsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ tsp baking soda
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  






Instructions



1. To make the cake:
   Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan and set aside.
   In a bowl, beat the eggs well until light yellow and smooth. Add 1½ cups sugar and the oil and continue beating well to make a thick, smooth batter. In small bowl, combine 2 cups flour with the nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt and stir, using a fork, to mix well. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to blend well. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to blend well. Add ½ cup buttermilk and mix well.
   
   
2. Dissolve 1 teaspoon baking soda in a little hot water. Add the remaining flour along with the dissolved baking soda and 1 teaspoon vanilla into the buttermilk mixture and stir to mix everything into a fairly smooth batter. Gently stir in the figs and nuts, mixing just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
   
   
3. Quickly scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the cake is handsomely brown and firm on top, and until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. While the cake bakes, prepare the buttermilk glaze and set aside until the cake is done.
   
   
4. To make the glaze:
   In a medium-size saucepan, combine ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup sugar, the butter, cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove at once from the heat, stir well and let cool to room temperature. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and set aside until the cake is done.
   
   
5. When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel for about 15 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan gently, running a table knife around the sides of the pan, and then gently turn it out onto the wire rack. Turn the cake top side up and carefully place it on a serving plate or cake stand. Spoon the buttermilk glaze over the warm cake, and let cool completely.
   
   Makes 8 to 10 servings.