Roasted Fig & Almond Cake

The wind carries a chill, an edge that scents the air with a hint of sweet decay, a reminder of events soon to unfold. The sun rises later each morning, streaking the sky with bold hues of fuchsia and orange on the morning drive to work. Rain drizzles from the sky in lazy streams, the clouds both blue and weary. Autumn has arrived, unpacking her bags slowly and settling in for the next few months without fanfare.

Even though I may dismay over the end of summer and her beautiful weather, the change of the seasons has a way of breathing new life into an old rhythm. The start to a new school year, the warm embrace of the oven, and the appearance of fall fruits at the market have given the transition a gentle touch.

Last weekend, in my haste to enjoy as much fall produce asI could carry, I purchased too many figs at the market... again. While fresh, ripe figs are delicious, my personal favorite are figs that have been cooked down so the flavor concentrates and the fruit releases its sweet juices. With this in mind, I sliced my fig bounty in half, brushing the open face with honey and roasting them in the oven until they started sizzling. Half of the figs were chopped and folded into a honey sweetened almond cake batter and the rest were pressed on top in concentric circles.

This cake may be a simple one, without glaze or icing, but when the slices are topped with a honey sweetened yogurt before serving, each fig-filled forkful is a celebration of the new season.

This Roasted Fig and Almond Cake brings out the warm flavors of fall. Figs are brushed with honey and roasted to concentrate the flavor. The roasted figs are then baked into an almond cake, which is sweetened with additional honey and spiced with a touch of cinnamon. The honey caramelizes and a toasted almond flavor emerges, adding another layer of dimension to the cake's final figgy flavor. Serve with honey sweetened yogurt and a mug of warm, milky tea.

One Year Ago: Blueberry Honey Scones 
Two Years Ago: Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, Calm of the Coast, & Espresso Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Three Years Ago: Vanilla Ice Cream Cake, Honeyed Apricot Granola Bars, & Chocolate Banana Chip Cookies
Four Years Ago: Caramelized Leek Biscuits, Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins, Cinnamon Roll Cookies, Bourbon Peach Jam, Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones, & Brown Butter Pear Muffins
Five Years Ago: Zucchini Bread, Lemon Blueberry Scones, 3 Milk Coconut Cake, Tomato Basil Tart, & Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread
Six Years Ago: Bittersweet Chocolate Pear Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Brown Sugar Coconut Bubble Tea, & Cinnamon Chocolate Banana Bread

Roasted Fig & Almond Cake

Yields 9-inch cake

24 ounces (680 grams) ripe fresh figs, de-stemmed and cut in half
3/4 cup (255 grams) honey, divided
12 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (112 grams) almond flour
2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Place figs face up on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the figs with 1/4 cup honey. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they release juices and are fragrant. Set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/2 cup honey until uniform. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until uniform. Stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Fold in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Roughly chop half of the roasted figs into bite-sized pieces. Fold chopped pieces into the cake batter. Pour cake batter into greased 9-inch cake pan. Top the cake batter with remaining fig halves, placing them in a circular pattern.

Bake cake for 40-45 minutes, or until cake is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve with honey sweetened yogurt, if desired.

Dulce de Leche Cake

Pastry Affair recently turned six years old. I can hardly believe it. Six years. Even though this space has transformed significantly since the beginning, the real evolution was within myself. Looking back now, I have a new perspective of where I've been, the recipes acting as a timeline of life's many changes, as well as my own ambitions and emotions. The blog originally started as a lifeline—a place of stability in a life in transition—but grew into a space of passion and community, where we can share our love of butter and sugar together. 

Cheers to another year, my friends. Thank you for your love and endless support—you make this place feel like home. 

Dulce de leche is a sauce with Latin American roots. The name itself translates to "sweet milk." Although the flavor profile is similar to caramel, dulce de leche is created with different ingredients and techniques. Traditional caramel is made by heating sugar until it reaches the firm ball stage, or has the appearance of caramel, before adding heavy whipping cream to create a sauce. Dulce de leche, on the other hand, starts with a sweetened milk which is cooked down until it caramelizes. For a quick, semi-homemade version of dulce de leche, a can of sweetened condensed milk can be submerged in water over low heat for several hours to achieve a similar effect.

This cake blends dulce de leche in both the batter and frosting to give it a strong caramel flavor. To create the two-toned appearance, I frosted the cake traditionally and dotted small amounts of dulce de leche against the top half of the cake. When smoothed out, the light brown shade of the frosting blends with the golden sauce, creating a layered, ombré presentation.

Dulce de Leche Cake is an anchor for sweet celebrations. The cake is made with brown sugar and swirled with dulce de leche to provide a defined caramel profile. A dulce de leche Swiss meringue buttercream covers the cake, lending a soft texture and buttery flavor without becoming too sweet. Though I may be celebrating Pastry Affair's big day, I hope you'll make this cake to celebrate your own special day, big or small. 

Dulce de leche can be purchased in some grocery stores (call ahead or check the ice cream topping aisle) and online, or made at home.

One Year Ago: Strawberry Layer Cake
Two Years Ago: Berry Topped Angel Food Cake & Mango Margarita
Three Years Ago: White Chocolate Espresso Cake, Pineapple Jam, Vanilla Chia Pudding, & Rhubarb Cake
Four Years Ago: Blueberry Lemon Crumble, Vanilla Cupcakes, Toffee Chocolate Cookies, Coconut Nutmeg Pudding, Lavendar Lemonade, & Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Five Years Ago: Citrus Roasted Rhubarb, Roasted Cherry Brownies, Honey Peach Boba Tea, Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies, & Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread
Six Years Ago: Chocolate Coconut Granola, Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, & Lemon Tarts

Dulce de Leche Cake

Yields 2 9-inch cakes

Dulce de Leche Cake
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream (or plain, non-fat yogurt)
1/3 cup (75 grams) vegetable oil
3/4 cup (325 grams) dulce de leche sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups (320 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (180 mL) milk of choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, vegetable oil, dulce de leche, and vanilla extract. Gradually add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and half of the cake flour. Stir in the milk, and add the remaining cake flour, mixing until batter is uniform and smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer cakes to a cooling rack, and allow to cool to room temperature before frosting or serving.

Dulce de Leche Swiss Meringue Buttercream
5 large egg whites (150 grams)
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (215 grams) dulce de leche sauce, divided

Wipe a large bowl with a paper towel soaked in a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar to remove traces of grease. Add egg whites and sugar and, over a double boiler, whisk constantly over hot water until the sugar dissolves. When rubbed between your fingers, the egg whites should feel hot and smooth (approximately a temperature of 140 degrees F/60 degrees C). This will generally take 3-5 minutes.

Using a mixer, whip the egg whites until thick, glossy peaks form. This may take anywhere from 8-10 minutes. The bottom of the bowl should feel neutral to the touch before moving on to the next step.

Place the mixer on low speed and add the butter in small pieces, one at a time, mixing until smooth. The frosting should reach a silky texture. Beat in the vanilla. If the butter is too warm and the frosting is too runny, place in the refrigerator for approximately 15 minutes to firm up the butter before mixing again. If the mixture curdles, continue mixing and it will come back together. Stir in 1/3 cup of the dulce de leche sauce.

Place the bottom cake layer on a serving plate. Place approximately 2 cups of frosting on the cake and smooth evenly. Place the second layer on top and smooth frosting onto the top and sides of the cake. Using a spoon, dot the remaining dulce de leche sauce on the outside of the cake and  smooth to create the ombré look.

Chocolate Almond Cake

Time is the most precious commodity we possess. These words of advice have been somewhere in the back of my mind for awhile, but they didn't genuinely register until earlier this year. The way we spend our time is an expression of what we find truly important. Is the way I am spending my time a reflection of who I want to be?  

In school this week, the students were tasked with filling in a pie chart of their daily routine, marking how much of their time is spent on various activities. How much time do you spend on your phone? In front of the television? On sports or hobbies? After filling in the charts, they were given a second pie chart. What do you wish it looked like?

Even though the lesson wasn't meant for me, the changes have been on my mind since. I would call my parents more, just to talk about the mundane details of day-to-day life. I would take a few minutes each day to clean up after myself. I would give each of my students my undivided attention. I would spend less time sitting on the couch.

I would spend more time in the kitchen, enjoying the feeling of dough beneath my fingers. 

This chocolate almond cake was the result of a chocolate craving that couldn't be curbed. With a deep chocolate flavor, it is well suited for the chocolate lover in your life. I prefer to heat each slice for 15 seconds in the microwave before serving. When heated, the warm cake takes on a gooey texture reminiscent of fudge brownies and cookies fresh from the oven.

As a bonus, the cake is naturally gluten-free.

This gluten-free Chocolate Almond Cake relies on almond flour to hold it together and give the cake texture. Dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate acts as a base for the cake—follow your preference here. Several eggs are used, which help to set it up similar to a thick custard. Serve for the chocolate lover in your life (especially if that person happens to be you).

Two Years Ago: Honey Oat Bread and Banana Cacao Nib Buckwheat Muffins
Three Years Ago: Bruleed Grapefruit and Bacon Chive Beer Bread
Four Years Ago: Cheddar Dill Biscuits, S'mores Brownies, and BBQ Bacon Water Chestnuts
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Frosted Yellow Cake and Vanilla Rum French Toast

Chocolate Almond Cake

Yield 9-inch cake

8 tablespoons (113 grams) butter, melted
9 ounces (250 grams) dark. semisweet, or milk chocolate, melted
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, melted chocolate, 4 egg yolks, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt until uniform. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, and continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks, about 8-10 minutes. Fold in the almond flour and baking powder. Carefully stir in the chocolate mixture,  

Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the middle of the cake barely wiggles. Take care not to over-bake the cake or it will be dry.

Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar. I prefer to heat each slice in the microwave for 15 seconds until the cake is warm and gooey. You'll want to do this too.