Figs and Honey Cake

Ingredients:

Cake (for three 12cm round molds):

250 g all-purpose flour
250 g brown sugar
200 ml cooking olive oil
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp spices mix powdered (nutmeg, cloves, allspice)
40 g cocoa powder
110g grounded almonds, walnuts, pistachios (pecans, cashews etc)
110 g dried figs and other fruit (e.g. raisins, apricots, dates etc)
150 ml lukewarm water

Cream cheese filling and frosting

250 g cream cheese (room temperature)
280 ml heavy cream
40 confectioner’s (powdered) sugar

Preparation:

Cake

Preheat oven at 180 ^O C.
Combine the oil and sugar in a bowl and add one egg at a time while mixing.
Mix in slowly the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Add all other dry ingredients, including the nuts and fried fruit and mix until it’s all incorporated. Add water as needed if the dough is too dry.
You can add in all the cocoa powder if you want a chocolate cake or add a little bit of it in each separate mold to create an ombre effect. You can leave the first mold without any cocoa, then add 10 g in the second mold and the rest in the third mold.
Divide the mixture into three molds – almost reaching to the top – and smooth the surface with a spatula or by hitting it softly on the countertop.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the centre to make sure the cake is ready and bake more if needed. Do not overbake or the cake will crumble.
You can store in the refrigerator in plastic wrap overnight to make it easier to trim.

Cream cheese filling

Combine cheese cream and half of the confectioner’s sugar and beat using a mixer until creamy.
In a separate bowl mix heavy cream with the rest of the sugar on high speed until smooth and spreadable.

Cover each cake layer with the thick portion of the cheese cream filling, and use the rest to cover the cake outside. Decorate with whole walnuts and fresh figs, and end the garnishing with honey.