Fig, orange and lavender cake

This is a variation on the upside down cake recipe I’ve used many times now, this time though using some beautiful fresh figs that caught my eye in the greengrocers one Saturday morning.  Instead of the almond essence I usually use to flavour this yoghurty cake, I added grated orange zest and dried lavender flowers for a delicate flavouring, and made it in a deeper, narrower cake tin.  It took longer to cook and was more like a pudding than a cake – I took the leftovers to work the next day for a team meeting and it was quite a hit!

Ingredients

50 g butter

50g soft dark brown sugar

7 fresh figs, halved

4 eggs

7 oz margarine

7oz golden caster sugar

7 oz self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

Zest of 1 orange

3 tbsp dried lavender flowers

75g ground almonds

200g Greek yoghurt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.  Place a 7” round, 4” inch deep cake tin on a baking tray with a lipped edge (to catch any leaks from the cake tin). 
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Meanwhile, sprinkle the cake tin with brown sugar and arrange the figs sliced side down.  Pour the melted butter over the top of the fruit, and set aside.
3. Beat the eggs until fluffy and full of air.
4. In a separate, large mixing bowl, cream the caster sugar and margarine until pale and fluffy.
5. Beat in the eggs, then the orange zest. 
6. Blitz the ground almonds with the lavender and add to the egg mixture.
7. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and fold to combine.  Beat with the electric mixer if necessary.
8. Finally, fold in the Greek yoghurt, and pour the cake mixture over the fruit in the cake tin.
9. Bake for 30-40 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.
10. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 – 10 mins, then turn out onto a cake stand with the fruit on the top side.