Why I Like Chocolate Fig Cake  

Increasingly, people like me are discovering the great taste of figs – be they fresh, dried, as jam or now even in chocolate fig cake. This type of chocolate cake is especially delicious, but may still sound exotic to some people.

The chocolate fig cake recipe with its figs and dark chocolate is rich tasting, but it can also have some health benefits. The fig has long been believed to be good for the heart and is rich in antioxidants.

I need antioxidants to keep my health good and figs are rich in antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols. Dried figs also contain one of the highest plant sources of fiber and calcium, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K.

People have known about the fig for a long time. It was one of the first plants humans cultivated at least as far back as 10,000 B.C., around the Jordan Valley. Figs were so valued in the ancient times that the rulers of the great Greek city state - Athens decreed that the fig business was to be owned by the state.

The fig plant has been successfully transplanted around the world to places like Australia, South Africa, and to New World places like California, Oregon and here in Washington State. Figs has also been used to make fig cake for some time.

More recently, chocolate and figs have been wedded together to make the chocolate fig cake and its growing in popularity. So we have included it in our Best New Popular Chocolate Cakes series.

This cake is rich in taste, but it can also have a healthy dose of figs and dark chocolate – both known for their antioxidant properties. There are also many low - fat versions of this cake, if you are looking to reduce sugar content.

I have included a great tasting chocolate fig cake recipe for you here. Experiment with it to make it what you want and need it to be for you.

Chocolate Fig Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Cake,

Preparation:

To make the fig cake, put the chopped figs and brandy into a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Let the brandy evaporate while the mixture is simmering. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Blend into the mixture sugar and butter. Beat until it’s creamy.

Then beat the eggs, one at a time, into the mix. Add in the cinnamon. Blend the breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, cooled chopped figs and chocolate into the mixture. Stir the chocolate into the mix as it melts and until it’s smooth.

Put the mix into a round 8-inch cake pan that’s greased and bake it at 365 degrees F for 60 – 70 minutes or until cooked. Take it out and let it cool.

To make the chocolate frosting, combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Stop the stirring, bring to a boil and cook until golden.

Remove from heat, and then stir in the chopped chocolate until its smooth. If you need to get any lumps out, put it over low heat again until its smooth. Cool the frosting, then pour over the cooled cake. You can add to this recipe according to your own needs and taste. Enjoy!