Holiday Fig Cake

Wednesday, I treated my guests to this Holiday Fig Cake for luncheon dessert. It was a success.

A couple of weeks ago, dear Friend Maybelle stopped by with a gift for me . . .

This cookbook which she gets at Dillard's Department Store (and which is made especially for Dillard's). (Do you see the cookies on the cover . . . they were the first thing I made from this book -- and they are terrific, too!) Knowing my love of cookbooks and Christmas and Southern Living, it is a fitting gift from a thoughtful friend.

I was especially taken aback by this dessert . . .

The recipe sounded good (I love figs) and the cake was a true showstopper! It would be, I decided, the perfect dessert for the Wednesday luncheon.

And the cake I made Wednesday for the luncheon -- complete with rosemary wreath. The only thing I forgot was to tie a red ribbon around the cake knife!

HOLIDAY FIG CAKE

(The Recipe)

1 3/4 cup fig preserves (almost 2 (11.5 ounce jars)

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup finely chopped prunes

2 T. chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Honey-Cream Cheese Frosting

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Garnish: Fresh rosemary sprigs

Chop large pieces of fig preserves, if necessary; set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar and oil at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in fig preserves, 1 cup chopped pecans, prunes and chopped rosemary.

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 42 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Run a knife around edge of the pans. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Spread Honey-Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Press pecan pieces onto sides of cake. Garnish with rosemary. Store cake in rerigerator.

HONEY-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 1/2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 T. honey

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and honey at medium speed with an electric mixer just until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed just until blended.

It's Friday which means that it's time to visit Michael at Designs by Gollum to see what we've been cooking for this Friday.