This skillet cake was divided into four pieces and eaten without apology. There was coffee: two cups each. There were a few dishes in the sink: no one cared. There was that dusty morning summer sun. So good! There was that thing I didn’t want to talk about: how my cellphone landed in the toilet and died rather unceremoniously. So bad.
Morning cake makes all the difference. Forever and always.
The key to this breakfast cakery is the melted butter.
Melted butter means that we don’t have to cream together butter and sugar in a stand mixer.
Not having to cream butter in a stand mixer means that we don’t have to bring out big kitchen gear in the morning.
Not having to pull out big kitchen gear in the morning means that we can enjoy coffee AND eat CAKE!! Science (not at all).
The top of this cake is adorned with fresh figs.
The inside of this cake is adorned with ground cardamom. Dreamy!
Wet ingredients + Dry ingredients. The remix. (Not really… just the mix.)
Let’s bake this cake in a skillet. It feels more breakfasty that way, right?
The batter is fluffy and thick… like an edible pillow for fresh figs and sliced almonds.
Don’t act like I’m the only one that thinks about edible pillows.
Dream edible pillow: Chocolate Chip Brioche. No big deal.
Fresh figs, face up. Sliced almonds every which way. Turbinado sugar too!
This buttermilk skillet cake is a wonder in the oven. It’s not finicky and precious. It’s the kind of cake that doesn’t mind being slapped in a cast iron, topped with treats, and thrown in the oven. It’s the sort of cake you can make at 9am with one eye open. It’s forgiving… that’s what I’m trying to say.
We’re talking thick and moist.. not too sweet, but fig-topped and delicious. I love it!
Also… if you wanted to top this cake with sliced peaches or pitted cherries, you’re smart… you totally should!
Fresh Fig and Almond Breakfast Cake
makes 1 10-inch skillet cake
For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Topping:
8- 10 fresh figs (depending on the size), sliced in half
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons turbinado (or granulated) sugar for topping
To make the cake:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch cast iron skillet. You can also use a 10-inch cake pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and sugar. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and butter. Whisk in the vanilla and almond extract.
Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined and no lumps remain. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Top batter with fresh figs, gently pressing the figs part-way into the batter. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and then sprinkle generously with sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before slicing to serve.
Cake will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
Sandi
Yum- this looks yummy!!!!
Samantha
This looks delicious. The only problem is that if I make it there’s no way it’s lasting 3 days in a fridge lol.
joythebaker
totally. i understand you.
Sarah
Cake for breakfast means a good dang day.
In a Trendy Town
Woooow this cake looks great! We are hungry!!!
http://inatrendytown.blogspot.com.es/
Ashley
Well this puts my pathetic cherry pop tart to shame. Makes me want to leave work and go back home to bake breakfast.
joythebaker
cherry pop tarts totally have their place in the world.
Carol Anne @ Rock Salt
Breakfast cake. Yep. I’m in. Love the cardamom in there, especially – inspired flavour combo. Thanks!
Khadijah
This cake looks AMAZING but it’s really difficult to get fresh figs where I live overseas. Do you suggest any other types of fruit, and would you change the spices if using a different fruit? Thanks!!
Jayne
I can pretty much smell how fragrant this is. Figs are one of the prettiest fruit in the world. And yes, I think of edible pillows almost every day.
Jennie
I didn’t even need to read the recipe to love this. I was sold at the concept of breakfast cake. Figs and almonds sound delightfully breakfasty! No more breakfast indecision, I can eat cake everyday, right?
Nelly Ritchie
Breakfast cake sound so good right about now.
On a completely unrelated note you were totally in my dream last night! You were doing a book signing in Newcastle (England) in a furniture shop (?!) and I happened to be shopping for bedside tables.
You shouted my name across the shop and told me how much you loved my blog! Ha!
Rather random but lovely all the same.
Have a lovely day! :) x
Belinda @themoonblushbaker
melted butter is the best way ( in my opinion) of getting a tight but fluffy crumb to cake. The topping is so versatile too! I could think of all the combs that could top this from the trashy to the sophisticated.
Sophie @ The Spotty Teapot
Oh my god, I’ve just woken up to this, and now I’m hungry, but I can’t make this cake yet because I’m on a stupid diet! Why do I torture myself by looking at your food?
X
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I love using melted butter (or oil) in cakes and recipes whenever possible rather than creaming. Not having to wash a big mixer bowl and attachment is time and sanity saver. Just one less step on the road to eating cake, and it’s appreciate. Gorgeous job on the cake!
Emma @ Coriander and Cumin
This looks delicious! I’m in France at the moment and have lots of fresh figs so this will be perfect. Only problem is I don’t think I can get hold of any buttermilk, do you know what could I use instead?
joythebaker
you could use yogurt diluted down with a bit of water. Happy Baking!