This moist, sweet, and flavorful homemade fig bread recipe is a fall favorite! Also known as fig cake, it's loaded with chunks of fresh figs, chopped walnuts, and is spiced with cardamom and cinnamon. If you have leftover figs, be sure to try my candied figs recipe as well!
This irresistible fig bread recipe is one of my most sought after recipes! Some of my friends refer to it as fig bread, while others call it fig cake. Whatever you call it, you'll agree that it's absolutely delicious! If you want to be extra naughty, drizzle it with some fig syrup!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This fig cake recipe is one of the easiest recipes you'll ever make. No need to use a stand mixer, or use a bunch of bowls that leave you with a huge mess to clean up afterward.
- Baking fig bread is as easy as mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. After that, pop it in the oven and enjoy the heavenly aroma!
- The spices used in this bread really compliment each other and give it a unique taste that you'll be craving all year long.
- Fig bread leftovers freeze well, and the fig bread retains its moist texture. This means you can enjoy your fig bread long after figs are not in season.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Figs: Fresh or frozen figs are preferred. If you absolutely can't get figs, you can rehydrate dried figs in hot water then squeeze out excess moisture. Another option is to use one 8 ounce jar of fig jam or fig preserves. If you do that, you may need to reduce the amount of sugar.
- Flour: All-purpose flour or a combination of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar, or a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Spices: Ground cardamon, cinnamon powder, ground cloves, and freshly ground nutmeg. If you don't have all the spices, you can skip one or two of them but you want the bread to have a mixture of these warming spices.
- Nuts: Either walnuts or pecans can be added. May leave out if you have nut allergies.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page!
🍞 Fig Bread Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, and sea salt) in a large bowl until combined.
Step 2: Place the walnuts in a ziplock bag and pound with a mallet until crushed. Another option is to use a small food processor.
Step 3: Fold the walnuts in with the dry ingredients.
Pro Tip: Folding the walnuts into the flour coats them with flour and keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the fig bread.
Step 4: In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla and chopped figs).
Step 5: Fold wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan (greased and floured bundt pan, or two loaf pans).
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Pro Tip: If using frozen figs, make sure they are defrosted and drained first so that you don't have excessive liquid in you fig bread, which would cause it to sink in the middle.
Step 6: Bake in the oven, on the middle rack, for approximately one hour for a bundt pan. If using loaf pans, bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Pro Tip: Since oven temperatures vary, test with a toothpick to make sure it's cooked all the way through.
Step 7: Cool the fig bread for approximately 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Cool on wire racks completely before slicing it.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
This recipe is very flexible and can be prepared with either oil or unsalted butter. Simply substitute an equal amount of melted and cooled butter for the amount of oil called for in this recipe.
There are many reasons why baked goods fall in the middle. Some say it's because the oven door was open during the baking process, while others say the bread needs more flour.
I think one of the main reasons fig bread caves in the middle is due to the high liquid content. This is due to the amount of juice in the figs. This is especially the case if you use defrosted frozen figs, which is why I recommend straining the figs before using them. Try adding an additional ¼ cup of flour to increase the flour to liquid ratio.
Although I highly recommend using fresh figs, I realize not everyone has access to fresh figs, and that they are only in season for a short time of the year.
To use dried figs in this recipe, start by rehydrating the dried figs. Cover the figs with boiling water for approximately 10 minutes. Next, drain and pat the figs dry before chopping and measuring out one cup to use in the recipe.
Yes you can, but you some adjustments need to be made to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. I recommend the following adjustments:
• Reduce the amount of sugar from 1-⅓ cups to 1 cup.
• Increase the amount of flour by ¼ of a cup.
• Decrease the amount of figs from 1 cup of fresh figs to ¾ cups of preserves.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- The figs should be chopped coarsely instead of ground. We want big chunks of figs in the bread!
- During fig season, I chop the figs and add them to small ziplock bags in one cup portions. I then keep them in the freezer to use throughout the year when I'm craving fig bread.
- You can also make this fig bread recipe by replacing one of the eggs with half of a ripe banana. It makes an even moister cake/bread.
- If you have beautiful, fresh figs, you can you can decorate the top of the bread with sliced figs.
- Store the fig bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
🍽 More Quick Breads to Try
🍓 Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this fig bread recipe, be sure to check out these other fig recipes too!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe
Favorite Fig Bread (Fig Cake) Recipe
Equipment
- 2 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh figs (chopped)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
- 1 tablespoon softened butter (for greasing the pan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, and sea salt) in a large bowl until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla and chopped figs).
- Fold wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir just until incorporated. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan, or two loaf pans.
- Bake in the oven, on the middle rack, for approximately one hour for a bundt pan. If using loaf pans, bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool the fig bread for approximately 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Cool on wire racks completely before slicing it.
Notes
- If using frozen figs, make sure they are defrosted and drained first so that you don't have excessive liquid in you fig bread, which would cause it to sink in the middle.
- Folding the walnuts into the flour coats them with flour and keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the fig bread.
- The figs should be chopped coarsely. You want big chunks of figs in the bread.
- Since oven temperatures vary, test with a toothpick to make sure it's cooked all the way through.
- During fig season, I chop the figs and add them to small ziplock bags in one cup portions. I then keep them in the freezer to use throughout the year when I'm craving fig bread.
- You can also make this bread by replacing one of the eggs with half of a ripe banana. It makes an even moister cake/bread.
Margarita says
I tried the recipe and I have to say it is delicious, it's very moist and soft most of all has a delicious taste to it, if anything I would just add a little more figs, thank you for the recipe, going to try baking your fig recipe 🤓
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Margarita, glad you liked the fig bread recipe... but what are you going to try baking?
Margarita says
Your fig Newtons
Hilda Sterner says
Gotcha!
Debbie says
I don’t like using inflammatory oils, so May I substitute unsweetened applesauce? Sounds like a delicious recipe and can’t wait to use some of my abundant fig crop. Thank you!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Debbie,
Is there any oil that you can use? Butter? I would replace the oil with a healthier oil, but wouldn't leave it out completely. I hope that helps.
Debbie says
Thank you. Will try butter in the recipe instead. 🙂
Ivy says
I had an abundance of figs and I don’t really like them cooked or preserved in any way but I did not want them to go to waste. So I thought I’d try them in this quick bread recipe. It was amazing…. delicious flavor, moist texture and the top was sweet and slightly crisp. I used pecans instead of walnuts and probably used more figs than the recipe called for. I made several loaves for family and friends! Everyone love it!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Ivy! I've never met anyone who doesn't love this fig bread. I'm glad you agree!
Anna says
I’d like to make them healthier using other flours? The recipe looks amazing but I don’t want to use regular flour. I have all other flours like almond, oat, coconut, etc. Do you have a variation equivalent for this portion of the recipe? Thanks!!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Anna, Unfortunately, I have not. You may find some suggestions in the comments if you feel like sifting through them. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!
Ethel N.e says
That's a great idea about chopping figs and freezing in one cup portions. I had a bowl full in fridge getting really ripe so I chopped and measured one cup into a snack bag. I put all the snack bags in one gallon size freezer bag. It would save a lot of time to chop nuts and measure into bags also. Thanks for great recipe and tip.E
Hilda Sterner says
You're welcome ,Have a slice or two for me!:)
Sophia Martin says
Absolutely delicious! I made 3 loaves today using walnuts and pecans. Both nuts produced delicious results! This is my new go to bread!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Sophia, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Trish says
This was absolutely incredible! I quartered the figs, followed the recipe exactly, but I did not have cardamom so I added double the cinnamon. This was very moist and definitely a favorite from now until on. Bring on the figs!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Trish, I'm so glad you loved the recipe as much as I do. Have some for me since I no longer have a fig tree!
Vicki Champion says
Glad to find a more simple recipe for my TONS of frozen figs! Thank you
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, enjoy!
Fe says
This is a perfect moist loaf. I used figs when in season and have now tried with cooked apple and it’s delicious. I was skeptical to use a recipe that has oil instead of butter but it’s great, stays soft for days (if it lasts that long). This will be my go to recipe for a loaf. Will try with dates at some stage.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much for your comment. I know what you mean, it's one of my favorites!
Heather says
I made a double batch today. I used half of the sugar and had dried diced figs so I soaked them in half cointreau and half water for a hour. I also incorporated 1/4 cup of the water/cointreau mix and reduced the milk. This recipe is so excellent. This recipe will never disappoint anyone.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Heather, I love the changes you made and am glad it still turned out great. Thank you for the review!