Fig, Orange & Walnut Loaf Cake

• porce: Makes 9 1” slices

Ingredience

120g/ml whole milk

120g honey

40g unsalted butter

75g granulated sugar

75g light brown sugar

230g self-rising flour (or 230g all-purpose flour plus 2¼ tsp baking powder)

4 tsp sweet spice mix (see recipe)

½ tsp table salt

75g walnuts, roughly chopped

75g dried figs, each cut in 4 pieces

75g candied orange peel (shop-bought or homemade, see recipe), cut in strips

1 egg

30g demerara sugar to sprinkle

Pokyny

Preheat the oven to 350°F/325°F convection.

Butter an 9 by 5 inch loaf tin and line with a sheet of baking parchment to cover the base and long sides, allowing a little overhang so that this can be used to help lift the loaf out later.

Warm the milk, honey, butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar together in a large saucepan until the sugars have dissolved and the mixture is just starting to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, spice and salt.

Mix in the walnuts, quartered figs and candied orange peel, then add the egg and combine thoroughly before transferring the batter to the lined tin.

Smooth the top and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, then turn the tin around for an even bake and leave for another 30 minutes.

At this stage it should still be a little soft to the touch, but stable and with a lovely thick crust. You can't really test this cake with a toothpick as it contains so much fruit, but if you push down a little with the tip of your finger in the center and it doesn't sink, remove from the oven. If you feel there is still quite a bit of softness there, bake for another 10 minutes, but do take it out after that. Allow to cool in the tin.

This is lovely just as it is, but at Honey & Co we serve thick slices with salty butter and orange marmalade. It keeps well for a couple of weeks in an airtight container and, once you think it is losing its luster, simply toast it.

Poznámky

From: ‘Golden Sweet & Savory Baked Delights from the Ovens of London’s Honey & Co.’ by Itamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer