SPONGE
- Put the dried figs in a bowl and pour over chai tea. Leave to soak for 30 mins. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan. Toast pecans in the oven for 5-8 mins until aromatic. Tip 3/4 of the nuts into a food processor (set aside the rest for later) and leave to cool for 10 mins. Meanwhile grease the base and sides of a 20 x 30cm rectangular cake pan with butter.
- Blitz the cooled nuts in a large food processor until finely chopped. Add the soaked figs and any remaining tea. Pulse again into a paste. Sift dry ingredients in a separate large bowl. Add butter, sour cream & eggs to processor and blend until combined. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well. Scrape into the cake pan, even out the top and bake for 25 mins. Check with a skewer if it’s fully cooked and remove cake. Cool in the pan for 10 mins, then flip onto a wire rack & allow to cool fully.
ICING
- Put the butter, vanilla and half the sugar in a large bowl. Whisk with an electric beater until mixed. Add the cream cheese and the remaining icing sugar and continue to beat until smooth. Split the batch into 2.
ASSEMBLY
- Cut sponge evenly into 3, 20 x 10cm parts. Stack on top of each other to ensure they are even. Place onto a cake board and spread 1st sponge with a little icing and half the fig jam just in the middle of the icing. Top with another sponge, more icing and jam, then top with the final sponge. Cover smoothly with the remaining 1st batch of icing (it will have crumbs) & chill for at least 30 mins. Once icing has firmed up, use the remaining icing as the final layer of icing.
DECORATE
- Cut figs into 4 and place onto top of cake. Finely chop pecans and sprinkle over cake. Drizzle with dulce de leche for the finale.
