Simple Lemon Cake with Fresh Figs
Looooook how fancy!
Just kidding. This is like the least fancy cake ever. It's like the quickest and easiest cake ever. This cake just affects the illusion of being fancy. Because of the figs. Who knew fresh figs were so fancy? And beautiful! I mean, my goodness are those figs some good-looking things.
Oh, I forgot to mention that this super un-fancy cake is a lemon cake. A simple, quick, and easy lemon cake.
There are a total of eight ingredients in this simple lemon cake. Well, nine really, if you count the lemon juice and lemon zest as two separate ingredients.
And then there's the lemon glaze, which has another four ingredients.
And then there are the juicy, fresh figs. Which is one more ingredient.
Now, you can really use any fruit your heart desires instead of the figs. Granted, figs are a fall fruit, which means they're currently in season, and they're gorgeous, and they're delicious, but they're not the cheapest or easiest fruit to come by.
So really, any other pretty fruit piled atop the cake would work. Sliced nectarines, whole strawberries, blueberries - all great.
Or, just leave the cake bare, because this lemon cake all on its own is perfect too.
This lemon cake comes together in minutes.
Just pre-heat your oven. And grease a round pan. And whisk together the wet ingredients in a bowl. And then whisk in the dry ingredients. And then pour the batter into the round pan. And then bake the cake.
And while the cake is baking, mix together the glaze ingredients. And slice the figs in half. Or slice whatever other fruit you're using. Or don't use any fruit at all.
And then, once the cake is baked and cooled, release it from the pan, pour the glaze over it, and top it with your fresh fruit.
Finito.
So let's talk about the actual cake.
This lemon cake is so moist. And soft. And tender. And fluffy. And light. And filled with tangy, bright lemon flavor. Because there's lemon zest and lemon juice and lemon extract in this recipe. Yep, all three. Because I don't mess around when it comes to my lemon cakes.
And then there's the lemon glaze. For even more lemon flavor. I told you, I'm not messing around. You can drizzle the glaze on top if you'd like, but I prefer to douse my whole cake in the icing. Because it still looks pretty, and you get all the glaze in every slice, and it helps the fruit stick to the cake more effectively.
Quick, easy, moist, soft, tender, fluffy, light, lemon cake topped with a tangy, glossy lemon glaze and piled high with fresh figs. Yesyesyesyes.
Simple Lemon Cake with Fresh Figs
Yield: 9’’ round cake
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
¾ cup oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 ½ cups packed flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon water, if needed for thinning
-Fresh figs for garnish, or another fruit of your choice (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9” round pan (removable bottom preferable) and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, oil, sugar, eggs, and lemon extract until smooth.
Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cake cool. Then, run knife along edges of cake to release it from the pan. Gently flip cake out of pan and then turn right side up. (Alternatively, if pan has removable bottom, just release cake from pan.)
Whisk together glaze ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the center of the cooled cake, allowing glaze to spread and trickle down the sides of the cake. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired.
