Fig Cake

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup apple sauce 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.5 cup buttermilk 
• 3 large eggs 
• 1.5 cups fig preserves 
• 10 servings garnishes: figs dried fresh
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1 cup pecans toasted chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup vegetable oil 

Equipment

• oven
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
2. Add buttermilk and vanilla; beat well.
3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; gradually add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. Fold in fig preserves, applesauce, and toasted pecans. (Batter will be thin.)
4. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cakepans.
5. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
6. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Store in refrigerator.
7. Garnish, if desired.
8. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Braswell's Pure Fig Preserves. Coarsely chop figs, if necessary.