Fig-and-Plum Cake

fig-and-plum cake served in a white dish
Photo: Justin Walker
Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 50 mins
Yield:
8 to 10 Serves

Put your best fruit forward in this seasonal snack cake that features fresh plums and figs. A buttery crust lays the foundation for a nutty frangipane filling, and the juicy slices caramelize on top. In short? It's satisfaction, squared.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for pan

  • 4 ripe but firm plums (1 ¼ pounds total), each pitted and cut into 4 wedges

  • 6 small fresh figs (about 4 ounces total), halved

  • 1 ¼ cups sugar

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pressing dough into pan

  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 cup finely ground almond flour

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan; line with 2 wide pieces of parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Butter parchment. Toss fruit with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

  2. In a food processor, pulse 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to combine. Add half of butter and pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to prepared cake pan and use floured fingers to press dough evenly into bottom of pan. (If too soft to easily press in, refrigerate 10 minutes.)

  3. Bake until crust is light golden in color, about 20 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes.

  4. In food processor, pulse remaining half of butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt with baking powder until combined. Add almond flour, remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, eggs, and almond extract; process until smooth.

  5. Spread batter evenly over crust. Gently stir fruit to reincorporate sugar mixture and arrange on top of batter (cut-side up). Bake until fruit is bubbling and filling is firm, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then use parchment overhang to lift cake out of pan and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool 1 hour and serve. Cake can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Cook's Notes

Lining the pan with wide strips of parchment makes it easier to remove the finished cake.

This cake is best enjoyed when the fruit is at their peak-season splendor. In the case of the plums and figs, that's early fall. However, you can adapt this recipe for any time of year by using apricots, peaches, and nectarines instead.

Cook's Notes

This cake is best enjoyed when the fruit is at their peak-season splendor. In the case of the plums and figs, that's early fall. However, you can adapt this recipe for any time of year by using apricots, peaches, and nectarines instead.

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