Fig Cupcakes With Honey Cream Cheese Frosting Food

FRESH-FIG CAKE WITH HONEY CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch cake pan (or two 9-inch pans), and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, baking soda and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk to combine sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Whisk in oil and buttermilk or yogurt to combine.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture just until combined. Fold in figs, jam and pecans.
• Scrape into prepared cake pan and bake until browned and springy to the touch, about 65 to 75 minutes (or 35 to 45 minutes for the 9-inch pans). If the top gets too dark before the cake is finished baking, cover it with foil. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and salt on low speed until smooth. Beat in honey and vanilla, then beat in confectioners' sugar.
• To assemble the cake, remove cooled cake from pan and peel off parchment paper. Slice cake in half horizontally, so you end up with 2 layers. (You don't need to do this for the 9-inch cakes.) Spread half the frosting between the layers, sandwiching it. Dollop remaining frosting in a thick layer on top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the top of the cake, the sides, bare. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, top with sliced figs.

FIG CUPCAKES WITH HONEY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a standard muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer) add eggs and sugar and whisk on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add applesauce and sour cream and whisk to combine.
• Add flour mixture to the egg mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Add figs, fig jam, and walnuts and fold these ingredients into the batter just until combined.
• Add 3 Tablespoons of batter to each cupcake liner so that they're ⅔ full. Bake cupcakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing the cupcakes from the pan.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer), add butter, cream cheese, and salt and beat on high speed until smooth. Add honey and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add confectioners' sugar and beat until blended and smooth. Frost the cooled cupcakes using a spatula or pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a pastry bag and piping tip. Garnish the cupcakes with fresh fig slices just before serving.

LEMON AND FIG CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes:
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two cupcake pans with twelve paper baking cups each. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
• Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
• Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one third of the milk mixture, beating slowly until well incorporated. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by another third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.
• Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, and mix until well combined.
• Scoop batter into the baking cups so that each is two-thirds full. On top of each cupcake, place one fig slice so that it covers the surface of the batter. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
• For the (optional) frosting:
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, mix all the ingredients for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until the frosting is light and airy. Frost each cupcake with a thick layer of the frosting using an offset spatula.

FIGUEROA CUPCAKES: CHUNKY LEMON FIG CAKE, SALTED HONEY FIG COMPOTE, CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 24 muffin liners. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the figs and lemon zest and mix for about a minute until well combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture just until combined. Then remove from the mixer and scrape by hand. Fill the prepared muffin pans three-quarters full with batter and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 24 minutes.
• For the fig compote: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the figs, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water and the honey. Bring to a boil and stir until the water has evaporated and the figs are soft. Add the sea salt and refrigerate until cool.
• For the frosting: Whip the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
• To assemble: Use a knife to make a hole in the center of the cupcakes. Fill with salted honey fig compote, and then frost with cream cheese frosting.