Fresh Fig Upside Down Cake

We have a healthy and happy fig tree (follow that link for Susanna's post a few years back) in our backyard gardens and the fig harvest has been abundant this year.  We've served them as a part of the morning snack on a Traveling Herb Seminar bus trip.  We've served them alongside orange slices and fresh scones during Afternoon Tea in the tea room.  And last night, we prepared an upside down cake using fresh figs and pine nuts.  What a buttery dessert this was... a pure and sinful dessert... all in one! 
Fresh Fig Upside Down Cake
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. brown sugar
10 - 12 ripe figs, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/3 c. toasted pine nuts, divided
1-1/3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. freshly zested lemon peel
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour melted butter into bottom of an 8" square baking pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over bottom of pan. Arrange fig slices in single layer over bottom of pan. Tuck pine nuts (2 Tbsp.) into spaces around figs, pressing into brown sugar. Set aside.

Sift dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) into large mixing bowl. Add softened butter, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl. Stir in remaining pine nuts. Pour over figs in prepared baking pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool in pan about 5 minutes. Loosen cake around edges of pan. Place serving platter over cake and turn over. Shake gently, then remove pan. Serve warm.