Fig Cake with Orange and Brown Sugar Glaze

This fig cake with a beautiful orange flavor and topped with an orange and brown sugar glaze is going to knock your socks off! The cake looks unassuming, but just wait until you take a bite! 

If you know me, or have followed me for some time, there’s no hiding that I dislike fresh figs.

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To my mother, this is a crime of the utmost degree because fresh figs are her favorite fruit. I can put them into a smoothie, and I do love orange fig jam with brie and crackers, but she still sees this as a crime, just to a lesser degree. 

So when my friend, Julie, asked if I wanted some figs from her tree, I accepted, but wanted to try to make something different this time; something Mum may actually approve of!

I sort of fused two of my recipes together to create this fig cake. Now, if you love figs, please feel free to add the chopped fresh figs into the cake batter as you’ll see them in the recipe, to make this a true “fig cake”.  I just made it with the figs on top because, well, you know. 😬 I think I’m probably the only food/recipe writer who will admit to something like that! At least I’m honest. 

Whether you make this cake exactly as I did, or you add chopped fresh figs, or omit the glaze, it’s going to be a lovely cake! I have made the base recipe so many times; it has the most beautiful texture, and is so light, everyone will love it!

When pears are in season, try this honey pear cake, too!

Just don’t skip the orange peel as it’s vital to this recipe tasting as it should. 

For those of you who have made my Sicilian Whole Orange Cake, you’ll recognize the orange flavor from the peel, as it’s very reminiscent of this cake, but with a much lighter texture. The orange and brown sugar glaze adds a lovely caramel flavor–it’s a wonderful combination!

Can I Bake this Fig Cake into Muffins Instead?

Yes! Make either 8 jumbo muffins or 12 regular muffins. However, you will have to cut the baking time down considerably. Check them after about 20 minutes. You can bake this cake in a loaf tin, too (baking time is the same). Now let’s get to this fig cake recipe!

Preheat the oven to 350ºF  (175ºC)

Grease and flour an 8″ to 9″ (20-23 cm) springform pan or loaf tin. You can put a liner in the bottom if you like, but it’s not necessary.

Prepare the Orange Flavored Sugar

Place the sugar and chopped orange peel into a blender or food processor and blend until the the orange peel is fine.

Prepare the Dry Ingredients

Pour the orange sugar into a large bowl and add the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Prepare the Liquid Ingredients

In a large measuring jug, combine the eggs, oil, yogurt, (buttermilk, if using) and orange oil and whisk to combine.

Make the Fig Cake Batter

Pour the yogurt mixture in the jug into the dry ingredients in the bowl.

Stir the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients, just until barely combined (do not mix until the flour is completely cleared).

If you are adding the chopped fresh figs, add them now. Just don’t overstir when mixing them in. Put the mixure into the prepared pan. 

Decorate with Figs

Split the remaining figs in half and decorate as desired. I cut the center fig into 6 pieces (keeping the bottom intact) and used six other fig halves around the perimeter.

However, you can decorate the top as you like.

Pop this beauty into the oven for about 50 to 55 minutes. While the cake is baking, 

Make the Orange and Brown Sugar Glaze

Put the orange juice, butter and brown sugar into a small pot and simmer for about 7 or 8 minutes for a sticky glaze.

Glaze the Cake

Just use a tester to make sure the cake is ready before taking it out of the oven. It should come out clean when inserted into the cake.

While the cake is still hot, pour the glaze onto the cake.

Then brush the top to distribute the glaze evenly.

Allow to cool before serving.

Which may be easier said than done!

Enjoy your fig cake!

Continue to Content

Fig Cake with Orange and Brown Sugar Glaze

Yield: 1 cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

A light and delicious orange and fig cake with an orange and brown sugar glaze!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• peel from one scrubbed, organic orange, chopped into pieces (don’t worry about how you do this as it will go into a blender) NOTE: you will need the juice from this orange for the glaze, below
• 2 cups (275g) good quality flour (like King Arthur)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (100ml) light-flavored olive oil
• 1 cup (250ml) yogurt (if using Greek yogurt, add 1 Tbsp milk or buttermilk)
• 3 to 4 drops of orange oil
• (4-6 fresh figs, chopped, to add into the batter, if desired)
• 7 or more fresh figs to decorate the top

Glaze:

• juice of one orange
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• pat of butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF  (175ºC)

Grease and flour an 8" (20 cm) springform pan or loaf tin. You can put a liner in the bottom if you like, but it's not necessary.

Prepare the Orange Flavored Sugar

Place the sugar and chopped orange peel into a blender or food processor and blend until the the orange peel is fine.

Prepare the Dry Ingredients

Pour the orange sugar into a large bowl and add the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Prepare the Liquid Ingredients

In a large measuring jug, combine the eggs, oil, yogurt, (buttermilk, if using) and orange oil and whisk to combine.

Make the Fig Cake Batter

1. Pour the yogurt mixture in the jug into the dry ingredients in the bowl.
2. Stir the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients, just until barely combined (do not mix until the flour is completely cleared).
3. If you are adding the chopped fresh figs, add them now. Just don't overstir the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 

Decorate with Figs and Bake

1. Split the remaining figs in half and decorate as desired. I cut the center fig into 6 pieces (keeping the bottom intact) and used six other fig halves around the perimeter. However, you can decorate the top as you like.
2. Pop this beauty into the oven for about 50 to 55 minutes. While the cake is baking, 

Make the Orange and Brown Sugar Glaze

Put the orange juice, butter and brown sugar into a small pot and simmer for about 7 or 8 minutes for a sticky glaze.

Glaze the Cake

1. Just use a tester to make sure the cake is ready before taking it out of the oven. It should come out clean when inserted into the cake.
2. While the cake is still hot, pour the glaze onto the cake. Then brush the top to distribute the glaze evenly.
3. Allow to cool before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 263Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 216mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 4gSugar: 27gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is only an estimate.

Did you make this recipe?

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My friend, Cynthia, has a grain free fig and walnut tart! Check it out HERE.

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