Description

This gluten-free fig cake is made with ripe fresh figs, roasted hazelnuts, chestnut flour, almond flour, and creamy coconut milk. Baked upside down, it has a soft, moist crumb and a naturally sweet layer of caramelized figs on top. It’s dairy-free, lectin-free, and made without any added sugar — a beautiful seasonal cake to serve with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

The figs and hazelnuts

1 tablespoon coconut oil, for greasing the baking dish
About 16 fresh figs, quartered
1/2 cup ground roasted hazelnuts, divided

Dry ingredients

8 tablespoons chestnut flour or tigernut flour
8 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour, plus more if needed
4 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (omit if the hazelnut butter is salted)

Wet ingredients

2 large pastured eggs
4 tablespoons hazelnut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 organic lemon
250 milliliters (about 1 cup) full-fat coconut milk

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Generously grease a shallow 7 x 11-inch (18 x 28-centimeter) baking dish with the coconut oil.
Arrange the quartered figs over the bottom of the dish, covering it completely. Sprinkle most of the ground roasted hazelnuts over the figs, reserving some for serving.
In a small bowl, combine the chestnut flour, almond flour, coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, hazelnut butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and coconut milk.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. The batter should be thick enough to spoon over the figs rather than pour. If it seems too wet, add a little more coconut flour.
Spoon the batter over the figs and gently spread it into an even layer.
Bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, or until the surface is set and no longer feels soft when lightly touched. If using a smaller, deeper baking dish, the cake may require additional baking time.
Allow the cake to cool in the dish for about 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if necessary, then place a platter or cutting board over the dish and carefully turn the cake upside down.
Sprinkle with the reserved ground hazelnuts and cut into 12 slices. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes

The sweetness of this cake depends on the ripeness of the figs. Choose soft, fully ripe fruit for the sweetest result.

Figs release moisture as they bake, so the batter should be thick and spoonable, not runny.