Fig Cake and THANK YOU!

I am so excited to participate in the Aetna Healthy Food Fight cook-off in LA this Saturday.  Special thanks to my team of sponsors, taste testers, wine suppliers, and judges.  I feel like I am on my way to bringing one mean plate of Farmer's Market Enchiladas to the judges table. No matter what happens on Saturday, I feel like I have already won. The opportunity to participate in the event combined with the outpour of excitement and support from my friends and family, is worth more to me than any prize. (Don't get me wrong, ten grand would be nice!) As my little cousin Royce once told his Mom, "Lia is fortunate."

Royce

Enchiladas weren't the only thing on the menu Tuesday night. Tara surprised us with the most beautiful fig cake made with fresh picked figs from Mandy's tree. It was a perfectly sweet ending to a perfectly sweet evening filled with girl talk, great wine, amazing cheese, and of course... Enchiladas.

Tara's Fresh Fig Cake

Fresh Fig Cake

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup chopped fresh figs
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• Compote "frosting":
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• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups chopped fresh figs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with the evaporated milk. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts and chopped figs.
4. Divide into two prepared 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
5. To make the filling: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups figs, brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Spread thinly between layers of cake and on top.

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Photos by Tara Germain who has inspired me to take a photography class. My cell phone shots are no longer acceptable! Thanks for these lovely photos Tara! 

Thank you girls, for everything. I would be lost without you.  If I win, we're going shopping!

For·tu·nate 

1. Bringing something good and unforeseen; auspicious.

2. Having unexpected good fortune; lucky.

This blog post was brought to you by Mandy Gamble 10.10.10 ;)