This fresh fig cake is what we want to bake as soon as figs show up in the fall season. Almond flour, yogurt and olive oil make it incredibly soft and moist, with sweet pieces of fig in every slice.
Got Fresh Figs? Make This Cake!
When fresh figs show up at the supermarket in the fall, we can’t resist buying some every time we go.
The figs you see in these photos are actually from Bursa, Türkiye. We found them at our local Tesco here in the UK, which made us extra happy!
We love eating fresh figs just as they are, but this cake is one of the reasons we look forward to fig season every year.
Almond flour, olive oil and yogurt make this fig cake soft and moist every single time.
And there are plenty of fresh figs in it too. We use them both in the batter and on top, so there’s fig in every slice.
This is the kind of cake that never lasts long in our house. We might even fight over the last few crumbs. It’s that good!
So if you love fresh figs as much as we do—or you’re lucky enough to have a fig tree—give this fresh fig cake a try!
About the Ingredients
Here are a few notes on some of the ingredients we use in this fresh fig cake.
Fresh figs: Green or purple figs both work well, so use whichever you can find. Just make sure they are ripe and sweet.
Almond flour: We use it together with all-purpose flour. It gives the cake a slightly nutty flavor and helps create that soft, moist texture.
Yogurt: Plain full-fat yogurt works best here. It adds moisture.
Olive oil: We use light olive oil, so you get the moisture without a strong olive oil flavor. Sunflower oil works too.
Sugar: We use a mix of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. The brown sugar adds a deeper flavor.
Cinnamon: Fall baking means cinnamon to us! And it goes so well with the flavors of figs and almonds in this cake. If you’re not a fan of cinnamon, though, you can simply leave it out.
Flaked almonds: These are optional, but we like the little bit of crunch they add on top.
You'll find the full list of ingredients with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Fig Cake with Fresh Figs
Making this fig cake recipe is pretty straightforward. You just whisk the eggs and sugars until creamy, then add the yogurt and olive oil. Set it aside.
Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add them to the wet mixture and gently mix until combined. Chop half of the figs and fold them in.
Pour the batter into a round cake pan, top with the remaining fig slices and flaked almonds if using, and bake. That’s it!
You'll find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
Want more recipes with fresh figs? Try our favorite fig recipes including:
No Need to Peel the Figs
You don’t need to peel figs for this cake. The skin is completely edible and softens even more as the cake bakes.
Just give the figs a gentle rinse, pat them dry and cut off the stems before chopping or slicing them.
We actually like keeping the skin on, especially on the figs that go on top. It helps them hold their shape and adds a little color to the cake too.
Loosen the Edges While the Cake Is Still Warm
Fresh figs can get a little sticky as they bake, especially around the edges of the cake. So about 5 minutes after you take the cake out of the oven, run a thin knife or spatula around the sides to loosen it from the pan.
It’s much easier to do this while the cake is still warm. Then let it cool before removing it from the pan.
How We Like to Serve It
We like this fig cake best at room temperature, just as it is. It’s already soft and moist, with plenty of sweet figs, so it really doesn’t need anything else. A cup of tea or coffee and a slice of this cake is enough for us.
But if you want to make it a little more special, serve it with some clotted cream—or Turkish kaymak if you can find it. Figs and kaymak are such a good match!
Storage
Keep the fig cake covered in a cake dome or store in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, as long as your kitchen isn’t too warm.
For longer storage, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days. We recommend bringing a slice to room temperature before eating—it gets softer and tastes much better that way.
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📖 Recipe
Fresh Fig Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 3 medium eggs
- 150 g plain yogurt
- 125 ml light olive oil
- 150 g almond flour
- 150 g all-purpose flour plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 fresh figs about 700 g, 4 for the batter and 4 for the topping
- 1 tablespoon flaked almonds optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan well with a little butter, making sure to coat the bottom and sides. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place it inside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Add the yogurt and olive oil and continue beating until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Using a hand whisk, gently mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Take 4 of the figs and dice them into small pieces. Save the remaining 4 figs for the topping.
- Gently fold the diced figs into the batter using a spatula. Don't overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly.
- Slice the remaining 4 figs for the topping. We cut each fig in half, then cut each half vertically into 3 slices. Arrange the fig slices over the batter.
- Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top, if using. They are completely optional, but we love the extra texture and crunch they give the cake.
- Gently tap the cake pan on the counter twice to settle the batter.
- Bake on the rack just below the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. After about 40 minutes, take a quick look at the top. If it is getting too brown, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) for the remaining baking time.
- At 45 minutes, insert a toothpick into the very center of the cake. If it comes out with wet batter, bake for another 5 minutes, then check again.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, while it is still warm, run a butter knife or thin spatula around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. The figs can get a little sticky around the edges as they bake, so it’s best to do this while the cake is still warm.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then remove it, slice and serve.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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