Sticky Figgy Bundt Cake

Do you all remember Fig Newton cookies from when you were a kid?  I actually had to go search to see if they're still around and, yup, they sure are.  I had totally forgotten about them until the bundt bakers group announced this month's theme of working with jam and I went off to look for inspiration.

I really love Bonne Maman preserves and I've usually got a jar of the cherry flavor in my refrigerator.  Not that cherry wouldn't have been a fine choice to bake with but I wanted to see what else was available.  Truthfully I had been thinking along the lines of a sticky toffee cake, which uses dates, but then I saw a jar of their fig preserves.  I instantly flashed on the flavor of those cookies and was inspired to see what I could produce in bundt cake form.  The fig jam made the cake wonderfully moist and gave it the most amazing aroma.  And, since I still kind of had sticky toffee in my head, I went ahead and gave it a caramel glaze because a little homemade caramel never hurt anything.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Cake:
3 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 Sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup buttermilk
1 Cup fig preserves
2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon baking soda

Caramel Sauce:
1 Cup sugar
1 Pint heavy cream, warmed
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt

Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl and beat together until creamed.  Beat in the butter and vanilla followed by the buttermilk and fig preserves.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and slowly beat into the batter.  Butter and flour a 12 cup bundt pan and pour in the batter.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.

Make the caramel sauce by melting the sugar in a pot over a low to medium flame.  Do not stir.  When the sugar has completely dissolved, remove it from the heat and add the heavy cream.  The mixture will bubble up.  Return to a low heat and stir vigorously until all lumps are gone and the sauce is a light golden brown.  Finish with the butter and sea salt and remove from the heat.  When the cake has cooled, pour caramel sauce over the top and serve the remainder on the side.  Makes 10 - 12 servings.

Want to join us and be part of Bundt-a-Month?
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Please visit the other participating bloggers to see their amazing bundt creations:
  Aloha Cake by Veronica at My Catholic Kitchen
  Blueberry and Lemon Bundt by Holly at a A Baker's House
  Butter and Jam Bundt by Anne at From My Sweet Heart
  Cranberry Pear Pumpkin Cake by Kate at Food Babbles
  Crabapple Yogurt Bundt Cake by Alice at Hip Foodie Mom
  Cream Cheese Black Cherry Bundt Cake by Anuradha at Baker Street
  Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Blueberry Jam by Sandra at The Sweet Sensations
  Guava Cream Cheese Bundt Cakeby Kathya at Basic N Delicious
  Peachy Keen Spice Cake by Kim at Ninja Baking
  Raspberry Jam Bundt with Peanut Butter Glaze by Lora at Cake Duchess
  Spiced Bundt Cake with Berry Jam & Cream Cheese Swirl by Heather at Hezzi D's Books and Cooks
  Sticky Toffee Bundt Cake with Cranberry Jelly Glaze by Felice at All That's Left are the Crumbs
  Sticky Fig Bundt by Anita at Hungry Couple NYC
  Strawberry Jam Glazed Spiced Pound Cake with Buttermilk and Orange by Laura at The Spiced Life
  Strawberry Lemon Bundt with Strawberry Jam Glaze by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
  Triple Blackberry Bundt by Tara at Noshing with the Nolands