A fig, honey and walnut cake that's the perfect autumn bake

The nights are slowly drawing in and the days are getting colder. Apologies if this is how you found out, but summer is ending and autumn is beginning. The good news is that it means it's now baking season. Why not break out the tins and get started with this roasted fig, honey and walnut cake with a Cognac glaze? As Melanie Johnson says, it's 'soft, squishy and the ultimate British kitchen garden joy'.

Recipe: Roasted fig, honey and walnut cake with a Cognac glaze

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100ml buttermilk
• 100ml honey
• 1tspn vanilla-bean paste
• 200g self-raising flour
• A pinch of salt
• 150g fresh figs, chopped
• 100g walnuts, chopped

For the glaze

• 100g icing sugar
• 2tbspn honey
• 2tbspn Cognac
• A splash of water

Method

Preheat your oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/350˚F/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy with electric beaters, for about 3–4 minutes, then add the eggs, buttermilk, honey and vanilla. Beat until fully combined and then fold through the flour and salt. Add the chopped figs and walnuts, mixing them through so they’re evenly distributed, and then pour into the prepared tin.

Bake for 45–50 minutesor until a skewer comes out clean.

Prepare the glaze by simply whisking the ingredients together, adding water as needed to create a runny consistency.

When the cake is baked, remove from the tin to a wire rack and, when it is still warm, brush the glaze all over the top.

Perfect served with a dollop of whipped cream and/or with lavender-honey roasted-fig ice cream.