Just because you don't happen to have an electric mixer handy, doesn't mean you can't make a cake from scratch. This is a dense, moist cake that is great fruit-topped with a brown sugar crumb topping (and no frosting). Or, frosted with chocolate icing or even a fruit flavored frosting. Easy, one-pan cake.
Mix 2 C. flour and 1 ½ C. sugar. Cut ½ C. butter into small pieces; add to flour/sugar and mix with hands till crumbly. Add1 t. baking powder, 2 eggs, 1 C. milk, and 2 t. vanilla. Stir till well combined; pour into greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Cover with the 2 C. diced fresh figs, blueberries, or apples (or canned pineapple slices -- anything that's not too wet; nix the strawberries or raspberries). Sprinkle crumb topping over the fruit: 1/3 C. dark brown sugar, 1/3 C. sugar, 1/2 C. butter, cut into small pieces, and 1 3/4 C. flour; mix well with hands to combine and create crumbs. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.
