Ummm, can we just talk about the fact that I found fresh figs??!!? Well, when I find figs, there is always one thing I want to make and that is this beautiful lemon ricotta fig cake.
Yes, figs. And in Meijer for that matter. In the middle of winter…Not common. I mean I have a hard enough time finding figs in the late summer when they’re in season, let alone in the middle of winter.
With that said, I took my first work from home day by storm this week and promptly stopped working at lunch to create this magical cake. That is before hopping back on my computer after lunch and getting back to work. But that’s what you do when you work from home right?? You make a cake during lunch. Then continue to snack on it all day until you have to pawn it off on someone before you finish the entire thing, enter in my husband and all the brew boys next door.
But this is not just any cake. This insanely flavorful, decadent mascarpone cake that has a way of being light and fluffy and dense all at the same time. There is this touch of sweetness from the mascarpone and honey, but also a dimension of savory from the ricotta and lemon. What I am basically trying to say is this cake is MOIST! Listen, if you hate the word moist, I tried to not use it. I even got this far, but there is just no better way to describe it. It has so much flavor without being all dry and needing to be covered in frosting or glaze to make up for it.
This cake is perfection.
I first found the idea from Ina Gartens cook like a pro cookbook. She describes this cake as one of her showstoppers that she always chooses to make when she wants to impress someone. So of course, being the Ina Garten fanatic that I am, I had to try it.
And I was not disappointed…
I think the best thing about this cake is also the fact that it takes only a few quick minutes to whip up. I made sure I added my own twist on the recipe by swapping out the sour cream for my all time favorite mascarpone, adding a bit of honey, because well everything is better with honey. Then bake and you’re done! Your house starts smelling something amazing in the meantime and it just is an all around a win-win experience.
So next time you see figs, remember, this cake is just 30 minutes away from being in your belly…Or you could always leave the figs out and make it anyway!
Enjoy!
Lemon Ricotta Fig Cake
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup mascarpone
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 large fresh figs (stems removed, sliced)
- 1 tsbp sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan or a pie pan, disposing of the excess flour.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and combine until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time and mix until smooth. Add the ricotta, mascarpone cheese, vanilla, lemon zest, and honey and mix until combined.
- In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, just mixing until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the figs on the cake, cut sides up, in snug pattern. Sprinkle with the last tablespoon of sugar and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to a cake plate, and serve with a drizzle of honey.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @twigandberrykitchen on Instagram.