This beautiful bake is packed with sweet, autumn figs – perfect for a festive tea or gluten free dessert.

Method:

• Line a 20cm springform tin with baking paper and butter the sides.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
• Toast the whole almonds in a frying pan until golden, then blitz in a food processor until finely chopped but not ground. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, heat the fig filling ingredients until the honey has melted and the figs have softened. Mash the fig up using a spatula or wooden spoon. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, mix the flour, almond flour, sugars, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and cardamom.
• Add the margarine and mix using the double beater of a hand mixer or stand mixer until it has a sandy consistency
• In a jug whisk together the almond milk and eggs, then add this in three stages to the flour and butter mixture. Each time, mixing well until you get a smooth cake batter.
• Fold in the fig filling and scrape the batter into the cake tin, smoothing the top, and banging the tin on the counter a few times to remove any trapped air.
• Decorate the top with the halved mini figs, pressing them gently into the batter.
• Sprinkle the crushed almonds all around the figs. Then sprinkle the caster sugar on top of the figs to caramelise them during baking.
• Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry and the cake detaches slightly from the sides.
• Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes in the tin, then remove and leave to fully cool on a wire rack.

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