Lemon-Fig Cake

By ctozzi

Olive oil has a subtle fruitiness that works suprisingly well in desserts. You can substitute vegetable oil in this recipe, but the flavor will not be the same

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 package (10 ounces) dried figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (or a cake pan lined with parchment paper) with oil; set aside.

2.In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together oil, milk, and egg; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula just until smooth (do not overmix). Gently fold in figs and lemon zest.

3.Spread batter in prepared pan; set pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and a toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

4.Cool in pan 15 minutes before unmolding cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. To serve, cut into wedges.

Cook's Note
Dried figs: Using a sharp paring knife, remove any tough stems before chopping the fruit.


Variations
You can substitute other dried fruit, such as raisins, cherries, cranberries, or chopped prunes