Chocolate Fig Buttercream Cake

Preheat the oven to 160°C (approximately 325°F). For the batter, chop the chocolate and melt over a hot water bath. Separate the eggs. Whip the egg yolks with the sugar until frothy. Stir in the slightly cooled chocolate.

Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Mix the flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Gently fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the batter into a lined springform pan (approximately 23 cm in diameter). Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 floors.

For the cream, cut the figs into small pieces. Heat the milk and figs. Let simmer for about 30 minutes and puree. Bring 375 ml (approximately 1.5 cups) of the fig milk to a boil. Add half of the sugar.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, cornstarch and remaining fig milk. Slowly pour into the boiling fig milk. Stir constantly for a few minutes, being careful not to boil. Mix the cream with a little powdered sugar and let cool to room temperature.

When the cream has reached room temperature, beat the room temperature butter with a hand mixer and gradually stir into the cream.

Stack the cake floors, separated by a thin layer of cream. Coat the top and edges of the cake with the remaining cream and smooth. Chill for about 3 hours.

For the decorations, cut the chocolate into small pieces and melt over a hot water bath. Allow to cool until about 35°C (approximately 95°F). Pour the chocolate on the cake and spread with a spatula so that some of the chocolate runs decoratively over the edge. Chill for about 1 hour.