Ingredients

For the fig and brown sugar bottom:

• Butter for greasing the pan
• 57g melted butter (half a stick/4 tablespoons)
• 100g light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 300g small fresh figs (about 10–11 oz)*

for the orange blossom yogurt cake:

• 200g flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 5g baking powder (1 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1.5g baking soda (1/4 teaspoon)
• 3g salt (1/2 teaspoon)
• 2 large room temperature eggs (110g)
• 55g melted and cooled butter (half a stick/4 tablespoons)
• 150g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 170g plain yogurt (3/4 cup)**
• 15g orange blossom water (1 tablespoon)

To prep the fig and brown sugar bottom:

1. Butter one 8-inch round cake pan. Cover the bottom with a parchment round.
2. Mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt, and pour it over the parchment-covered cake pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the brown sugar out evenly over the bottom until it’s completely covered.
3. Slice the figs in half. Arrange the figs cut-side-down over the buttery brown sugar.

To bake the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F convection (177° C).
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Beat the eggs and butter together until they are very well incorporated. Then add the sugar, yogurt, and orange blossom water, and beat to combine well.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture, and stir together just until everything is combined. It won’t be completely smooth, and there might be some tiny lumps; this is completely fine. Don’t over-mix!
5. Carefully pour the batter over the figs, smooth out the top a little bit with a spatula, and bake for about 30 minutes. It’s done once you can insert a toothpick into the center and batter doesn’t stick to it.
6. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the cake pan. Then trace around the edge with a butter knife to make sure it’s loosened from the pan. Place a plate or cake-stand upside-down over the cake. Put on your grippiest oven mitts, and hold the plate and cake together so that your thumbs are underneath the cake pan. Carefully and quickly rotate it away from yourself and give it a quick up-and-down shake to release the cake from the pan. Remove the pan, slice, and serve.