Fig Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps baking powder
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup stemmed, chopped fresh figs
2 cups stemmed, chopped fresh figs
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Into a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts and chopped figs. Pour batter into cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. Cool before filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Spread thinly between layers of cake and on top.