Brown Butter, Fig and Rye Cake

Serves 12

Ingredients

113g butter, melted
1/3 cup milk of your choice
2 large eggs
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g caster sugar
110g dark brown sugar
280g whole rye flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Candied Figs
3-4 fresh figs thinly sliced
110g granulated sugar
120g water
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Summary

Brown butter, nutty rye flour, earthy cinnamon and sticky-sweet figs, this upside-down loaf cake delivers on all fronts! We recently started stocking Wholegrain Milling Co organic whole rye flour and this recipe really makes it ~sing~. Fig season goes by in the blink of an eye, act fast!

This recipe is by Justine Doiron

Brown Butter Fig and Rye Cake

Position a rack to the centre of the oven and preheat to 190°C (fan forced). Line a 22 x 12cm* loaf tin with baking paper – be thorough!

Brown the butter. Do this by placing a small pan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it fully melt. Let it fizz and foam, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the milk solids from the butter separate and start to brown at the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the butter is a deep, dark brown. Swirl and pour into a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Add the milk to the butter and whisk to cool it. Add in the eggs and yogurt and mix well. Add the sugars and vanilla and mix again.

Add in the rye flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix, first with your whisk, then smooth out with a spatula. This batter will be very, very thick, but don’t mind it.

Use the wiped out pan to candy the figs.

Add the sugar and water to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half and turned into a syrup, 8 to 12 minutes. Add the vinegar and swirl.

Gently add in the figs, then turn off the heat. Give the pan a few swirls to coat them in the syrup.

Layer the soaked fig slices at the bottom of your lined loaf tin, positioning the prettiest parts so that they are facing down and flush against the parchment.

Scoop the rye batter on top and smooth it out.

Bake at 190°C (fan forced) for 40-50 minutes or until you can insert a sqewer and it comes out clean.

Let the loaf completely cool in the pan, then transfer to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice off the top, leaving you a flat surface to flip the loaf onto. Don’t worry, we don’t waste the scraps – toast them and eat them like tiny biscottis.

Flip the loaf so that the parchment-covered figs are facing up. Gently pull off the parchment, revealing the shiny, shimmery figs. Brush some of the left over syrup** over the cake.

Slice and serve!

*This can also be prepared in an 20 x 20cm baking tin, just cut the baking time to 30 minutes.

** You’ll probably have some left over syrup, you could freeze this for next time, or put in an air tight container in the fridge and drizzle it over fresh fruit and yoghurt – deeeeelish!