Fig Cake with Tamarind Glaze

Name: Fig Cake with Tamarind Glaze
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (180 grams); ½ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened); ¾ cup brown sugar; 1 tablespoon orange zest; 2 eggs (large, room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste; ½ cup sour cream (full fat, room temperature); ½ cup dried figs (thinly sliced); 1 cup confectioners' sugar; 2-4 tablespoons milk; ¼ teaspoon tamarind paste (not concentrate)

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This delicious fig cake recipe is moist and flavorful. It is topped with a sweet and tangy tamarind glaze which takes only 2 minutes to prepare. This fig cake has so much flavor and texture in every bite. It's the perfect cake recipe for a party or simply an afternoon snack. No one can resist a slice!

closeup photo co fig cake with tamarind glaze on a plate.

I’m proud to collaborate with more than 30 Black recipe developers as we celebrate Black History Month 2022. This Virtual Potluck explores Black food through the lens of Afrofuturism. Our collaboration of recipes explores the intersection of the Black diaspora via culture, future, geopolitics, imagination, liberation, culture, and technology.

Cook and share the inspiring recipes by checking out the list of participants below. Follow each participant and continue the discussion with us on social media using the hashtag #BHMVP2022!

My contribution to the potluck was a delicious fig cake. This recipe features two foods specific to the African diaspora—figs and tamarind. These two ingredients really amp up the flavor profile of a classic butter cake. The story of this recipe is combining the unique ingredients from the past into a common present-day recipe that can be enjoyed by many.

closeup of fig cake with tamarind glaze on a plate.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Key ingredients and why we use them
Equipment
Serving Suggestions
Frequently asked questions
Step-by-step instructions
Make ahead and storage tips
Recipe variations
Try these other cake recipes
Recipe
Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

A simple cake recipe that comes together in under an hour.
A unique dessert packed with lots of flavor and texture.
The perfect cake for a party with great visual appeal.

Key ingredients and why we use them

This fig cake recipe is packed with flavorful ingredients that create a robust flavor profile. Read about some of these key ingredients below.

all ingredients for the fig cake measured and labeled. — All premeasured cake ingredients.

Orange Zest: The orange zest adds a citrusy and tangy flavor to the cake batter. I recommend using a microplane grater to make things a breeze. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of zest which you can get from about half a medium-sized orange.

Tamarind Paste: This tangy ingredient is commonly found in Asian and Indian recipes. It is a concentrated paste made from the pulp around the tamarind fruit. The paste itself is fairly sour and citrus tasting. It looks similar to molasses. In this recipe, the tartness is balanced with the confectioner's sugar for the glaze.

Cinnamon + Nutmeg + Ginger: This blend of aromatic spices gives our cake a subtle autumnal flavor. Feel free to grate your nutmeg by hand for a fresher and more potent flavor.

Figs: Figs have a sweet and jammy flavor that is reminiscent of a prune. Their texture is somewhat chewy and you can taste the crunchiness of the seeds in the middle. In this recipe, they are thinly sliced and arranged on top of the cake for flavor and texture.

Equipment

I love baking this recipe in a cast-iron skillet. This versatile piece of kitchen equipment is great for use on the stove and also in the oven. I recommend a 9-inch skillet with deep sides for this cake (much like what I used for my almond cranberry cake). Remember, your cake will rise slightly while baking, and you don't want it to flow over the top. Make sure that the skillet you use is oven-safe as some skillets are only made for stovetop use.

Serving Suggestions

This cake is absolutely delicious all by itself. However, I do recommend a cup of coffee or tea if you are having it for an afternoon snack. If you're serving this as a dinner party dessert, I also recommend a nice glass of red wine. You can also add a bit of flair by serving this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

overhead shot of glazed cake with figs filling in a slice.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace fresh figs with dried figs?

Yes, you can use fresh figs in this recipe. This would be a delicious fresh fig cake recipe! Fresh figs will caramelize as they bake into the cake batter for a slightly different texture. You may need to add 5 minutes to the cooking time if you use fresh figs.

Can I bake a cake in a cast-iron skillet?

You can replace any 9-inch cake pan with a cast-iron skillet. Cast-iron has great heat conductivity and does an excellent job of evenly cooking a cake. To bake a cake using a cast-iron skillet, leave the oven temperature and cooking times the same.

Do I need to rehydrate dried figs?

For this recipe, you do not need to rehydrate your figs. However, rehydrating the figs would create a moister topping. If you chose to do this, simply simmer your figs in water, fruit juice, or liqueur until they are soft.

closeup of fig cake slice with cast-iron skillet in background.

Step-by-step instructions

This fig cake recipe is simple!

HEATHER'S HELPFUL HINT
To zest your orange, try using a microplane grater. With this tool, there is no need to apply any pressure, which makes your job easy and minimizes the risk of getting hurt.

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and orange zest on medium for 2 minutes, until smooth. Next, beat in eggs and vanilla bean paste. Mix on medium for one minute, stopping at least once to scrape down the bowl.

four photo collage of creaming butter and sugar.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream to the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined.

four photo collage of wet and dry batter ingredients being mixed.

Spoon the batter into the skillet and smooth it using a spatula. Arrange the figs in concentric circles along the top.

collage of four photos showing cake batter being spread in pan.

Press figs slightly down into cake batter. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cover the cake with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking if the edges are browning too quickly.

dried fig layered on top of batter in a p cast-iron skillet

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. While the cake is cooling, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk, and tamarind paste in a bowl.

collage of four photos showing mixing of tamarind glaze

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake before serving.

hand pouring tamarind glaze over the cake in a cast-iron skillet

Make ahead and storage tips

Make-Ahead: The easiest way to make this cake ahead of time is to simply freeze the cooled cake after it comes out of the oven. This cake can be frozen—wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil—for up to four months.

Storage: This cake can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. Make sure it's stored in an airtight container. In the refrigerator, cover the cake with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it for up to one week.

Recipe variations

Feel free to substitute other fruits as a topping in this recipe. Options include plums, prunes, or even pears.
The tamarind paste can be replaced with orange juice or lemon juice for a simmilarly tangy flavor.
Feel free to decrease or omit the amount of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves depending on taste.

Try these other cake recipes

Don't stop baking with this fig cake! Be sure to check out some more of our delicious cake recipes linked below.

Recipe