Upside Down Fig Cake Food

UPSIDE-DOWN FIG-AND-HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter just the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan.
• For the caramel topping: Stir the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, and gently swirl the saucepan occasionally until the mixture is the color of light amber, 6 to 8 minutes. If needed, brush any sugar crystals off the side of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and carefully whisk in the butter (take care: the mixture can bubble up considerably). Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan, tilting the pan to cover most of the bottom (be careful: the pan will be very hot from the caramel). Arrange the figs, cut-side down, on the caramel.
• For the cake: Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking sheet, and bake until nicely toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk them together with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl as needed, then beat in the vanilla and lemon zest (it's okay if the batter looks slightly separated and broken). Adjust the mixer speed to low, and add 1/2 the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then the remaining flour mixture.
• Pour the batter over the figs in the cake pan, spread it into an even layer and give the pan a few taps on the counter. Bake the cake until it's golden brown and pulls away from the edge of the pan and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack until just cool enough to handle, 20 to 30 minutes. Invert a serving platter over the cake pan and, while holding them together, quickly flip them over so the cake unmolds, fig-side up. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges, and serve.

UPSIDE-DOWN FIG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides with 1 teaspoon butter. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; grease top of parchment paper with ½ teaspoon butter. In a small saucepan, melt ½ cup butter over medium-low heat. Stir in brown sugar and honey, and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly; pour sauce into prepared pan. Arrange fig halves, cut sides down, in concentric circles over sauce. In a large bowl, beat remaining 1 cup butter at medium speed with a mixer for 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat for 3 to 4 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Spoon batter over figs in prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Carefully run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, and invert onto a serving plate.

UPSIDE-DOWN FRESH FIG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and honey until smooth. Pour the sauce into the prepared cake pan. Arrange the figs, cut sides down, in concentric circles over the sauce. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter with sugar and vanilla until lightened in color and texture, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until well combined after each. Beating on low speed just until combined after each addition, add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk in 2 parts. Spoon the batter evenly over the figs.
• Bake the cake until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool in the pan for 50 minutes.
• Run a thin knife around the sides of the pan to loosen. Place a serving platter on top of the pan and invert the cake. Gently lift off the pan and remove the parchment paper. Spoon over the cake any of the sauce that has run off, and serve warm.