Figs are one of my favorite Fall ingredients for a number of reasons. The flavor pairs so beautifully with olive oil, so making a fig frosting to go on olive oil cupcakes only seemed like the right thing to do! Since olive oil cake is so popular, I thought it would be fun to make olive oil cupcakes! If you don’t like figs, you can pair this with any berry! Just substitute the preserves in the frosting as well as the fruit topping for the fruit you prefer.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Bake Time: 18 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hr

Ingredients:

1 Cup (200g) Granulated Sugar

¾ Tsp (3g) Baking Soda

¾ Tsp (3g) Baking Powder

½ Tsp (2g) Kosher Salt

1 Tbs (13g) Lemon Zest

1 Tsp (4g) Vanilla Extract

3/4 Cup (180mL) Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2/3 Cup (160mL) Buttermilk
1 Large Egg

1 ½ Cups (198g) Cake Flour

For the Frosting:

1 ½ Cups (339g) Softened Unsalted Butter

Pinch of Salt

2 Tsp (4g) Vanilla Extract

2 Tsp (6g) Lemon Zest

1/8 Tsp Cinnamon

½ Cup (160g) Fig Preserves (room temperature)

4 Cups (500g) Icing Sugar

Garnish:

6 Fresh Black Mission Figs

Granulated Sugar

Directions:

1.     Preheat your oven to 375 Degrees F (190C) and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

2.     In a large bowl, add the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest and whisk until well combined. Add the vanilla, olive oil, buttermilk, and egg and whisk until smooth.

3.     Add the cake flour and whisk until just combined, then evenly divide the batter into the muffin pan. It should make exactly 12, filling each one up about 2/3 of the way with batter.

4.     Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

5.     Make the frosting by putting the fig preserves in a blender or food processor and blending until smooth and no large chunks of fig remain.

6.     Beat the butter, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla in a mixer with the paddle attachment on a medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and fig preserves and mix for another minute to combine.

7.     Add the icing sugar 1 cup at a time, fully mixing in each cup before adding the next. Once all the sugar is added, mix the frosting on high speed for about 30 seconds.

8.     If you want to make the garnish, cut 6 fresh figs in half lengthwise, then dip the cut sides in granulated sugar. Torch the sugar to caramelize it and turn it dark golden brown.

9.     Assemble the cupcakes by piping the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and topping with the bruleed fig halves.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.