Warm Fig Cake Recipe

Prep and dry ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan or a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang for easy removal. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Cream butter and sugars

In a large mixing bowl, beat 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer (or 4–5 minutes by hand). Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add eggs and flavor

Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and the zest of 1 lemon (reserve a pinch of zest for topping if desired).

Combine wet and dry

With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry flour mixture to the butter mixture, then half of 3/4 cup whole milk, then another third of the dry mix, then the remaining milk, finishing with the last third of the dry mix. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream with a rubber spatula to make the batter tender and moist.

Prepare figs

Wash and gently dry 10–12 medium fresh figs. Trim the stems and halve or quarter each fig depending on size (halves for medium figs, quarters for large). If figs are very small, leave whole. Toss cut figs lightly with the 1 tsp lemon zest to prevent browning.

Assemble in pan

Pour the prepared batter into the lined cake pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Arrange the fig halves (cut side up) in a single decorative layer over the batter, gently pressing each one slightly into the batter so they sit snugly but remain visible on top.

Topping

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Brush or spoon this mixture lightly over the exposed fig surfaces and the cake batter around them. If desired, sprinkle 1 teaspoon coarse sugar or turbinado over the figs for extra crunch.

Bake

Bake on the middle oven rack at 350°F (175°C) for 35–45 minutes, until the cake is golden at the edges, a toothpick inserted into the center (between figs) comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), and the fig juices are bubbling slightly. If the figs or top brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Cool slightly

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 10–15 minutes. This resting time lets the cake set and makes it easier to turn out without the figs sticking or breaking.

Invert and finish

Run a knife around the edge of the pan, then invert the cake onto a serving plate (or leave in the pan and serve slices directly). If you baked in a pan with parchment overhang, use the overhang to lift the cake out. While still warm, drizzle 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup over the figs for extra gloss and sweetness, and scatter 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds over the top. Dust lightly with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar if desired.