PREP:
20 minutes
BAKE:
23-35 minutes
YIELD:
10-12 servings
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup pitted medjool dates
- 1¼ cup dried calimyrna or black mission figs, stems removed
- 1¾ cup hot water
- ½ tablespoon baking soda
- ¾ cups (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Maker’s Mark bourbon
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest of 1 orange
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- For the bourbon soaking syrup:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Maker’s Mark bourbon
- Pinch kosher salt
- For serving
- Bourbon toffee syrup (recipe follows)
- Chocolate truffle pecans (recipe follows)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Butter a 9x12' baking dish.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the dates, ¾ cup of the figs, water and baking soda, and let them sit for 10 minutes to soften the fruit. Coarsely chop the remaining figs and set them aside. Process until the mixture is smooth.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until each is combined, followed by the vanilla and bourbon.
- In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix for about 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the batter is well combined. Add the chopped figs and puréed fruit, and mix until they are incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake the cake for 25–35 minutes until it is golden brown and springs back when touched in the center.
- While the cake is baking, make the bourbon soaking syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, water, vanilla and a pinch of salt to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the cake from the oven and pour the bourbon soaking syrup over the top. Let the cake cool before serving it with the bourbon toffee sauce and chocolate truffle pecans (recipes follow).
