Fig, Olive Oil and Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin with a little oil and line the base with greaseproof paper. Dust the inside of the tin with two tablespoons of sugar, moving it around so the sides are evenly coated, then discard any excess.
  2. Put all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, grate in the zest of both lemons and mix together well. Use a standup mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or an electric hand-whisk to beat the eggs and sugar together until thick and fluffy – five to seven minutes. Put the oil in a bowl, squeeze in the juice of one lemon, add the vanilla bean paste and mix well.
  3. With the mixer on high speed, slowly pour in the oil mixture in a steady stream until combined, then keep mixing for a further three to four minutes. Turn off the mixer, fold in a third of the flour and mix well, then repeat in two more batches with the rest of the flour. Pour the batter into the lined cake tin.
  4. Trim the tops off the figs, cut into quarters and scatter them carefully on top of the batter, pushing some in as you go. Sprinkle the leaves of one rosemary sprig over the top. Bake for 55 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool.
  5. Heat a medium pan over a high heat and add the leaves of one rosemary sprig. Toast for two minutes, tossing the sprigs around a little. Add the maple syrup and juice of the remaining lemon and keep stirring over a high heat for about four minutes, until the syrup thickens. Drizzle the syrup and the oil over the cake.