For the lovely Kate Coltun’s Birthday (age unknown):

Fig & Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vanilla Guittard Choc-au-lait chips

10 figs, halved

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup of buttermilk

1 egg, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons for sprinkling

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. preheat oven to 400

2. grease a 9 inch springform cake pan

3. cream butter and sugar for about 3 minutes with an electric mixer

4. add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined

5. sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt

6. take a tablespoon of the flour mixture and toss with the vanilla chips

7. alternate additions of flour and buttermilk into the butter/sugar/egg mixture, folding gently

8. fold in the vanilla chips

9. pour batter into the pan and spread evenly

10. arrange the figs around the cake, cut side up

11. sprinkle cake with 2 tablespoons of sugar

12. bake for 20 minutes