Fig Roulade cake recipe

by Bex

Warning: This cake is highly calorific!  Luckily I made this when I was still in my not caring phase as each slice = a whopping 456 calories!!  However, it is SO worth it - we LOVED this cake and I think it's a good one for the festive season as a change from a traditional chocolate yule log.  And, although it may not be sensible, this is the season of indulgence ;)

Fudgy Fig Roll (recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine)
Serves 10

Ingredients:
140 soft dried figs, chopped
1 medium very ripe banana
knob of butter for greasing
3 large eggs, separated
225g light muscovado sugar
120g wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
good grating fresh nutmeg (optional)
4 tbsp golden caster sugar
For the Filling:
300ml double cream
4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
about 250-300g fig jam or conserve

Method:

Cover the figs with boiling water in a bowl and set aside to soften for 30 mins.  Drain and mash well with the banana.

Extremely over-ripe banana!

Heat oven to 190oC (170C fan/gas 5).  Grease a swiss roll tin (about 34 x 24cm) and line the base with baking parchment.

Separate the eggs, collecting the whites in a large clean bowl.  Beat with an electric whisk until stiff peaks hold on the end of the whisk then add half the sugar and beat until thick and glossy.

In another mixing bowl, beat the yolks with the remaining sugar until pale.

You can see the colour changing here.

Whisk in the mashed fig/banana mixture and fold this mixture into the meringue mixture until well combined.

Mix the flour, bicarbonate, spices and a pinch of salt and sprinkle this over the wet mixture and very gently fold again until well combined.

Gently scrape and spread the batter into your tin.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until springy to the touch.

Meanwhile lay a clean tea towel on the bench (this helps keep the cake nice and moist) and scatter the caster sugar over the towel.  Flip on the cake, peel off the parchment, then roll up from the shortest side, rolling the tea towel inside, into a swiss roll.  Lift onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Gently unroll the cake removing the tea towel.

You can see mine cracked here but it's better that it cracks on the inside than out.

Using electric beaters, whisk the cream and icing sugar together to form soft peaks.  Spread the fig jam over the cake, followed by the cream.

Roll up again and slice.

Tips:  I used less icing sugar (about half) in the cream and I'm so glad as it was a very sweet cake, especially with the jam.  Although it was lovely, I would actually replace the cream & sugar with mascarpone next time.
I highly recommend Mammy Jamia's fig preserve (the pear one is delicious too and they're both great on bagels or crumpets!)