Figgy Rum Cake
Figgy Rum Cake
Figgy Rum Cake
- 230 g dried black mission figs
- 105 g raisins
- 100 g currants
- 300 ml amber rum
- 150 ml dry sherry
- 415 g cake flour for cake base
- 140 g cake flour for dredging fruit
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 125 ml olive oil
- 170 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 tblsp fresh orange juice
I make some version of a rum cake each year around Christmas time and this particular year I chose to fill it with figs, currants, raisins and orange zest. The olive oil cake base keeps things light and moist. The end result is an aromatic and festive cake. Enjoy!
Fruit after soaking overnight
Day before, put dried fruit in bowl with rum and sherry. Allow to soak up to 24 hours. Strain fruit, cut figs in half, and reserve soaking liquid.
Prepare bundt cake pan by placing parchment paper on bottom and buttering sides with unsalted butter.
Preheat oven to 300F (150 C)
Sift 415g flour, baking soda and baking powder into a bowl.
Beat olive oil and sugar until pale with whisk. Add eggs in one at a time. Beat until frothy.
Gently fold in flour mixture while adding orange zest, orange juice, and 95 ml of reserved soaking liquid (total of 125 ml of orange juice and soaking liquid combined).
Dredge strained fruit in 140 g cake flour so that each piece is fully coated. This helps suspend the fruit in the cake and avoids having it all sink to the bottom in the baking process.
Orange zest and strained fruit ready to be dredged on sheet pan.
Add dredged fruit in batches to the cake mixture. Once fully combined, pour and level into pan.
Bake at 300F (150 C) for 1hr 20 to 1hr 30 mins until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Slice of Figgy Rum Cake - look at all that fruit!
Notes:
Mount Gay Eclipse Rum is a classic Barbados rum that is relatively inexpensive. You can use leftover rum for flambé and other bakes.
Dry sherry can be substituted with other dessert wines like port if you don’t have any on hand.