I had some fruit left over, (plums figs and blackberries) and decided to make this cake. I poached the plums and figs in some earl grey and added it into the sponge. I whipped crème fraiche and double cream together to make the frosting and flavoured it with some rosemary syrup and some blackberries.
I’m the sort of person the requires there to be cake in the house at all times, for afternoon tea, or just in case any one comes over. my partner never understands why I am making “another cake” but it has to be done. he never seems to mind when he’s eating it though. i think it is more because the kitchen looks like a tornado has passed through it every time I’m in the kitchen (I’m not a tidy baker and manage to get flour everywhere).
I love to try and mix flavours to keep the cakes different and I think that rosemary goes well with plums and earl grey goes well with figs and plums so I decided to try mixing them all together.
to poach the fruit
- 4 plums
- 3 large bursa figs
- 2 earl grey tea bags
- 120g 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 220g caster sugar 1 cup
- 220g butter 1 cup
- 4 eggs
- 220g self raising flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 200ml water
- 1 cup 220g caster sugar
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 200ml double cream
- 200ml crème fraiche
- 5 tbsp. icing sugar
- 80 ml rosemary syrup
- 10 blackberries
in a bowl whip the cream, crème fraiche and icing sugar once thick add the rosemary syrup and blackberries and mix until stiff
spoon some frosting on to one of the cake layers then add the other on top and spoon on some more filling, use a pallet knife to spread the frosting around the cake
decorate with rosemary, sliced figs, plums and blackberries
Michele says
oh wow, this one is sooooo unique!
ok, till now i never gave it much though but man oh man are sliced figs ugly or what? they look like brains, haha – but i absolutely love the way they taste (and smell!)
One of my all-time very favorite candle companies is tyler candles and they have one called mediterranean fig and it is to-die-for awesome
ok, now, what did you think of the flavor of this cake? did you love it? so-so? hate it? and your partner?
would love to try it sometime, would love to know what you thought of how it came out
thx
Loran | Old World Living says
This cake! It looks so completely enchanting! And unlike michele, I find cut figs to be utterly lovely. They have such a beautiful gourmet look about them. beautiful creation!
Lyndsay // Coco cake land says
Gasp, it’s so beautiful! figs have such lovely texture and colour. so prettily styled, too! xo
twiggstiudios says
Thankyou xxx
Charlotte Wathan says
Just a quick question? Do you put the poached fruit into the cake mixture or in between the cake layers?
twiggstiudios says
thankyou yes I added some in the sponge and some between the layers its down to what you prefer xxx
Riann says
Hi – this is such a beautiful recipe. I can’t always get figs all year round, do you think it would be ok if I used figs I had frozen for the poached fruit? I would defrost them first and they would still be whole or half figs?
twiggstiudios says
hi yes I’m sure that would be fine xx
Riann says
wonderful – thank you!
Victoria Pease says
How pretty! This is the sort of recipe that makes me excited for autumn 🙂
http://VICTORIASPONGEPEASEPUDDING.COM
twiggstiudios says
thankyou x
Alexandra says
Hi! What size baking tins did you use for this?
twiggstiudios says
they where quite small I think about 10cm
Ève says
Hi! Im sorry but did you mean 10 inch? I am looking to make this cake for this christmas and I woulnd want to ruin in! Sincerely!
Andreea Buri says
Hey there!
Amazing receipe; in the unfortunate event of fig drought in supermarkets, any recommendation for what to replace them with. This is more like a SOS request as the cake is already fitted into the Christmas dinner menu?
Happy Holidays,
Andreea
twiggstiudios says
I think it would work fine with out the figs and just with plums xxx
Andreea Buri says
Thanks so much! In the making as we speak,
Merry Christmas and a wonderful joyous New Year,
Andreea
Cicely says
Where is the beautiful cake stand from?
twiggstiudios says
thank you, it was from anthropologie a few years ago x
Ève says
Hi! Im sorry but did you mean 10 inch? I am looking to make this cake for this christmas and I woulnd want to ruin it! Sincerely!
gd_support says
Hi, no those tins are a bit smaller 7 or 8 inches I will update the techie and add it xx