When I think of figs, I think of Teva-wearing hippies in Berkeley sitting in trees eating dried figs from the bulk bins of the co-op. And that’s cool. Real cool. I love the restaurants in Berkeley and the food co-ops are even better. Anyone else having a co-dependent relationship with the daily pizza menu at The Cheese Board Collective? No? Just me? Ok. Sometimes figs make me think of the ritzy San Francisco restaurants that serve them all alone on a plate and fawn over each fruit like it belongs to the royal family. But really, y’all, figs are a low-country Texas thing. They are not hifalutin like they have been made out to be recently. The Spanish brought the root stalks with them to Texas during their missionary efforts. Fig trees can be grown generally anywhere in the state with proper care.
This cake uses whole dried Mission figs. Make sure they are moist and plump, not dry and leathery. You can use any variety of honey you like for the honey-laced cream cheese frosting. My favorites lately are orange blossom and buckwheat honey.
