Easy Fig Cake: A Southern Classic Made With Fig Preserves

Fig cake sounds fancy, but it's one of the simplest cakes you can bake from scratch. You mix the batter in one bowl, stir in your fig preserves, pour it into a cake pan, and let the oven do the rest. The flavor and moistness actually intensify after baking, which means this cake tastes even better the next day - if it lasts that long!

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I love recipes that reward you without requiring a lot of fuss. This cake fits right into that category. It uses pantry staples you likely already have, and the fig preserves do all the heavy lifting when it comes to flavor. I've baked it in a bundt pan for Sunday dinners and in layers for special occasions - both ways are absolutely delectably delicious.

If you love easy Southern baking, you might also enjoy my Fresh Fig Bread - a simple, satisfying loaf that puts fresh figs to beautiful use when they're in season.

Jump to:

• Fig Preserves
• Ingredient Notes
• How to Make Fig Cake
• Tip
• Substitutions
• Fig Cake FAQs
• Storage
• More Cake Recipes You'll Love
• Fig Facts
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

Fig Preserves

Fig preserves have a deep, jammy sweetness that you just can't replicate with any other fruit. When they bake into this tender cake, they keep every crumb moist and add a richness that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite. The warm spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove - wrap around that fig flavor beautifully, giving this cake the kind of cozy, old-fashioned taste that feels like home.

The fig tree is a plentiful fruit tree in South Louisiana, and preserving figs is a common practice that has been passed down through generations of Cajun families. With so many ripe figs to put up every summer, Cajun cooks have always found delicious ways to use those precious preserves. Fig cake is one of the most beloved results - a favorite Cajun dessert alongside fig sweet tarts, a sweet bread pastry wrapped around rich, sweet fig preserves that is just as treasured in Louisiana kitchens. 

I developed this fig cake recipe to make the most of fig season here in Louisiana. Once the jars are full, this cake is always one of the first things I bake. If you want to make your own preserves to use in this recipe, my Five Days of Figs: Fig Preserves post walks you through the whole process step by step.

Ingredient Notes

• Fig Preserves - This is the heart of the cake. Homemade preserves give the richest flavor, but store-bought works just fine. Either way, the preserves are what keep this cake so moist and flavorful long after it comes out of the oven.
• Buttermilk - Don't skip this one. Buttermilk adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the figs and the praline glaze. It also helps keep the crumb tender and soft.
• Vegetable Oil - Oil-based cakes stay moist longer than butter-based cakes. This is one reason why fig cake gets even better the day after baking.
• Pecans - Chopped pecans go inside the cake batter and can also be sprinkled on top of the praline glaze. They add a lovely crunch and a nutty richness that complements the figs beautifully.
• Brown Sugar and Butter (Praline Glaze) - These two ingredients come together to make a simple, quick glaze that tastes like a Southern praline poured right over the top of your cake. If you love pecan pralines, you're going to love this glaze.

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How to Make Fig Cake

The Cake Batter

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your bundt pan or two 9-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until smooth and pale.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. This step makes sure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the creamed sugar and eggs, alternating between the two and mixing well after each addition. Then blend in the oil until everything is fully incorporated.

Stir in the fig preserves and chopped pecans. The batter will be rich and fragrant at this point - it already smells wonderful.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake. A bundt pan takes about 1 hour. Two 9-inch pans take about 30 minutes. The cake bakes into a dark golden brown and is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before adding any toppings.

The Cinnamon Whipped Cream

NOTE THIS: For the fluffiest whipped cream, place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for a few minutes before you start.

Pour the heavy whipping cream into your chilled bowl and begin whipping. Slowly add the powdered sugar, then the cinnamon. Beat until stiff peaks form, but watch it carefully - overbeaten whipped cream will lose its smooth, creamy texture.

Keep the whipped cream in the refrigerator until the cake is completely cool and you're ready to assemble.

If you're using cake layers, place the first layer on your serving plate and frost the top with whipped cream. Stack the second layer and repeat. Refrigerate the assembled cake while you make the glaze.

The Praline Glaze

Combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring as it cooks.

Remove from heat and let the glaze cool slightly before drizzling it over the top of the cake. It will thicken as it cools, which makes it perfect for drizzling. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, then refrigerate the finished cake until ready to serve.

Tip

The flavor and moistness of this cake intensify after baking. If you can wait, wrap the cooled cake and let it sit overnight before adding any toppings. The next day, the fig flavor deepens and every bite is even more satisfying. It's well worth it!

You can also bake this cake a day ahead and refrigerate it. Add the cinnamon whipped cream and praline glaze the day you plan to serve it, so everything looks fresh and beautiful at the table.

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Substitutions

No buttermilk on hand? No problem. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. It works the same way in the batter.

You can swap the chopped pecans for walnuts if that's what you have. The texture will be similar, and the flavor still pairs nicely with the figs and spices.

If you prefer a simpler presentation, skip the cinnamon whipped cream and just drizzle the praline glaze over the cooled bundt cake. It's still tantalizing and beautiful without the layers. And if you want to keep it truly traditional, serve it plain right out of the bundt pan - no glaze, no cream, just the cake. It is that good on its own.

For another old-fashioned fruit cake with that same comforting, from-scratch feeling, my Mama Trahan's Fresh Apple Cake is one I come back to again and again.

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Fig Cake FAQs

Can I use fresh figs instead of fig preserves? Fig preserves give this cake its signature moisture and concentrated flavor. Fresh figs have too much water content and won't produce the same result. Stick with preserves for this one.

Can I make fig cake ahead of time? Absolutely! This cake actually tastes better the day after it's baked. You can bake the cake one or two days ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. Add the whipped cream and glaze the day you plan to serve it.

How do I store leftover fig cake? Because of the cinnamon whipped cream, this cake needs to stay refrigerated. Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze fig cake? You can freeze the cake itself without the toppings. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then add the whipped cream and glaze fresh before serving.

Can I bake this in a different pan? Yes! A bundt pan gives a beautiful, traditional presentation, but two 9-inch round pans work just as well for a layered cake. You can also bake it in a 9x13-inch pan for a sheet-style cake. Adjust your baking time and check with a toothpick starting around 35 minutes.

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Storage

Store the finished fig cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you plan to keep it longer, freeze the unfrosted cake without the toppings for up to 2 months.

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More Cake Recipes You'll Love

Browse more cake recipes for Southern sweets worth baking any time of year.

• Pecan Pralines
• Mama Trahan's Fresh Apple Cake
• Easy Graham Cracker Oven Toffee

Fig Facts

I'm still amazed at how many people aren't familiar with the fig, so here are some interesting facts I've discovered about this sweet southern fruit.

• The little seeds found inside the fig were once hundreds of blossoms when the fig first formed. 
• Figs are pollinated by a tiny wasp a couple of millimeters long. God made this wasp just for that purpose, so they need each other for survival. Amazing!
• Fig puree' can be substituted for fat in recipes.
• The Fig Newton Cookie made its debut in 1891.
• The early Olympic athletes received fig laurels as medals.
• A cup of figs contains the same amount of calcium as a cup of milk.
• Because of their high fiber content, they can be helpful in weight management. (You like that one, I know. Me too!)
• The potassium contained in figs can help control high blood pressure.
• The fig leaves are edible and offer many health benefits.

My older grandchildren are finally at the age where they are showing interest in helping in the kitchen. Here is Kathryn.

While experimenting with this fig cake, she was learning how to measure. It's a fun teaching tool for them, and I like their company.  

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