Fig Cake

                                  Makes 1 ----2-layer cake

3........................ large eggs
1....................... cup sugar
1....................... cup vegetable oil
1/2.................... cup buttermilk
1....................... teaspoon vanilla extract
2...................... cups all-purpose flour
1 ......................teaspoon baking soda
1 ......................teaspoon salt
1..................... .teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2....................teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 ..................teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 ..............cups fig preserves
1/2 .................cup applesauce 
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
                  **Cream Cheese Frosting  Below:**
 Garnishes: dried figs, fresh raspberries, fresh mint sprigs

1.         Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add buttermilk and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; gradually add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. Fold in fig preserves, applesauce, and toasted pecans. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cakepans.
2 .         Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
3.          Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Store in refrigerator. Garnish, if desired. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Braswell's Pure Fig Preserves. Coarsely chop figs, if necessary.

This recipe can be made with fresh figs or with good quality preserves. Sweet cream cheese frosting covers the cake and is a nice balance to the spicy fall flavors.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING :
Makes 3-1/2 cups

1 1/2 .............(8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 
5 ...................tablespoons butter, softened
2 ...................teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ..................cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed just until blended. (Do not overbeat, or frosting will be too thin.)

Heart Healthy