Figs are showy fruit.

They can’t help themselves. Even the plainest, drabbest fig will reveal a scarlet belly, flecked with shimmering seeds, once you take a bite. Whether they’re sliced or halved, arranged in a tart shell, on a crostini or just on a plate, there are few visions more enticing. This is why most fig recipes put the fruit front and center, so you can admire its fleshy beauty before you gobble it up.

It follows that chopping fresh figs and folding them into cake batter is not something you usually see, but that’s exactly what happens in this recipe for fig cake. It turns out to be an excellent idea.

You see, most fig cakes rely on fig jam or dried figs for flavor. This works to some extent, adding an almost candied, caramelized sweetness. What you don’t get is the lusciousness of fresh fruit.