Fig & Hazelnut Cake - The Perfect Weekend Indulgence

I made this cake back in October and it got rave reviews from everyone who ate it and I promised myself that I would make it again and blog it. Well October was ages ago, and between this and that I never got the chance. But this week was one hell of a week. We ended up staying in hospital for 3 days with my little small dude, Fionn. He's fine and home and everything, but it was a tough week. So on this cold rainy Saturday, Fionn is napping, Aoife's gone on a play date, and Alan is gone DIYing. So  for me the ultimate indulgence is light candles, turn down the lights, turn on some tunes and bake an awesome cake. For me baking is so relaxing! I love it. I decided I'd waited long enough to recreate that fig cake of October and I seized the perfect opportunity to bake.

The cake batter is a very simple one. I picked it up from Donna Hay. I have previously blogged a few different versions of this quick and simply cake, most notably my Quick Apple & Blueberry Cake.  I found figs are a great baking companion, and the hazelnuts are a match made in heaven. While the addition of the honey, while the cake is warm lends to the cakes sweetness and glossy finish. All in all, it's a great cake for an afternoon cup of tea, or equally warmed with a spoon of vanilla ice-cream for a yum dinner party dessert, cut and served at the table.

Ingredients

• 225g self raising flour
• 170g brown sugar
• 125g soft butter
• 125ml milk
• 2 large free range eggs
• 3 fresh figs, sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
• 1 tbsp demerera sugar
• 1 tbsp of runny honey

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and the butter with a hand held blender
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. 
4. Sieve the flour, and add the milk, and mix until combined
5. In a 8inch diameter cake tin with a loose bottom, line with parchment and grease the sides with soft butter.
6. Add the cake mixture to the tin. Top with the figs and the hazelnuts.
7. Sprinkle the top with demerera sugar.
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
10. While the cake is still warm, drizzle with the honey.