This Fig Cake is not sponsored. I was sent fresh figs by friends at the California Fig Advisory Board, but they did not pay me to develop this recipe or mention them. I simply love fresh figs.
Make this tender, buttery Fig and Honey Snack Cake while figs are in season — it’s simple and utterly delicious.
I’m a dedicated fig lover. When fresh figs appear in stores I happily splurge to enjoy their brief season. Many of our figs end up as Vanilla Fig Preserves, but I always save some for this simple, decadent Fig and Honey Snack Cake.
The cake starts with an easy vanilla butter batter. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then combine and spread the batter in a generously buttered half-sheet pan. This recipe is egg-free, which is handy when fresh eggs aren’t available.
Sliced fresh figs are arranged on top of the batter, and about halfway through baking the cake is lightly drizzled with honey and returned to the oven for a short finish. Once cooled and cut into squares, serve each piece with an extra drizzle of mild honey. The result is a tender, buttery cake that highlights the sweet, delicate flavor of fresh figs.
What pan should I use for this fig cake?
This cake is designed for a half-sheet pan. If you don’t have one, they are widely available from kitchen and restaurant suppliers. The wide, shallow pan gives the cake its characteristic texture and thin, tender crumb.
Use fresh figs — dried figs won’t give the same texture or moisture. Fresh figs are delicate and perishable, so plan to bake or eat them soon after purchase.
Which types of figs work best?
You can use any fresh figs you can find; common varieties such as Brown Turkey and Sierra work well. The key is freshness and ripeness. Do not substitute dried figs — they’re lovely for snacks but won’t deliver the same result in this cake.
When preparing the pan, be generous with the butter: coat the corners and sides thoroughly so the cake releases cleanly. The batter doesn’t need a perfectly smooth top, but distribute it evenly before arranging the fig slices.
Do not overlap the fig slices; leave space so the cake can rise between them. Too many figs will make the cake overly moist — less is more.
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Fig Cake
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (about 1 lb 1 oz)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups milk (whole, almond, or soy)
- 1/4 cup melted butter or extra-virgin coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Additional butter or coconut oil for the pan
- 6 to 8 fresh figs, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1/4 cup mild honey, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Generously butter a half-sheet pan, making sure corners and seams are well coated. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, melted butter (or coconut oil), and vanilla. Stir with a silicone spatula just until no dry pockets remain; the batter should be even though not perfectly smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth evenly. Arrange the fig slices across the surface without overlapping.
- Bake for 23 minutes. Remove the pan and drizzle the 1/4 cup mild honey evenly over the cake. Return to the oven and bake an additional 8 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a heatproof surface for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve each square drizzled with more honey if desired.
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate exact values using the ingredients you use.
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