birthday cake

Yesterday was Jono's birthday, so while he was at work I used his mom's kitchen to bake a cake. I found a recipe that integrated his two favorite flavors (he hasn't got much of a sweet tooth), and even though they're not my two favorite flavors, it was absolutely the tastiest cake I've ever made. I really look forward to using this basic recipe and switching up the components a little to suit different peoples' tastes.

White Chocolate Cake with Fresh Fig Filling and White Chocolate Ganache, Garnished with Dried Wild Figs

Ingredients for Cake:
-Melted butter (to grease, unless using a silicon pan)
-180 g butter, chopped
-185 mL (3/4 cup) cold water
-2 eggs (room temperature), lightly whisked
-115 g (3/4 cup) self-raising flour, sifted
-150 g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted
-155 g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
-220 g white chocolate, chopped

Ingredients for Filling:
-1/2 lb fresh figs
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-juice of half a lemon
-2 tbsp sherry

Ingredients for Ganache:
-375 g white chocolate, chopped
-125 mL (1/2 cup) thickened cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 160º C. Brush 20cm cake pan (if metal) with melted butter. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place chocolate, butter, and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Add sugar and egg and stir until just combined. Add flours and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into lined pan and bake for one hour or until moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into center. Set aside for 30 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make ganache, place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half0filled with simmering water (make sure bowl doesn't touch water) and stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until mixture is thick and spreadable.
5. To make fig sauce, chop the figs finely. Boil until tender (DO NOT ADD WATER), then add the sugar and lemon juice. Cook until smooth. Remove from the fire and add sherry. It should have the consistency of jam.
6. Use a serrated knife to cut cake into 2 layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of the ganache, and top with fig filling (see below). Replace top half of cake, and spread with remaining ganache. Decorate with dried figs.

It was nummylicious and I am glad it turned out so well! I gotta give a shout out to Arielle, whose advice about the flour-siftage helped immeasurably!