This moist, sweet, and flavorful homemade fig bread recipe is a fall favorite! Sometimes referred to as fig cake, it's loaded with chunks of fresh figs, chopped walnuts, and is spiced with cardamom and cinnamon. Be sure to try my candied figs recipe and my new fig leaf tea recipe!
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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 complement 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 cardamom, 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 food processor (paid link).
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, 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).
Pro Tip: If using frozen figs, make sure they are defrosted and drained first so that you don't have excessive liquid in your 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 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
🍓 More Fig Recipes
If you enjoyed this fig bread recipe, be sure to check out these other fig recipes, too!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- 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, 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.
Nutrition
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.
Patti says
I have a fig tree and an abundance of figs in the fall. I make this bread and fig jam and give them out at Christmas! I add a little orange zest and honey cause that’s what I put in the jam. Delish!
Hilda Sterner says
That's great, Patti! Thanks so much for your comment, enjoy!
Robyn A Brady says
I baked mine in a cast iron skillet. This is the most delicious bread I have made, and many have asked for this recipe.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Robyn, that's great to hear! I hope you send them to my blog, referrals are always so appreciated! Thank you and enjoy!
Bobbi O'Connor says
This recipe is delecious and made it several times this week. I love it because you can make in a tube pan or 2 loaf pans.
Enjoy it folks.
If you have any questios,you may contact me at my emai
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks for the review, enjoy!
Sue says
Absolutely delicious! Glad I found this recipe to use frozen figs! I do have to confess, though, that I used coconut oil since that is what I had on hand.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Sue, No confession necessary! I love hearing the different ways people change this recipe. I've done the same myself, enjoy!
Frances Levinson says
I doubled the recipe, and used 2/3 cup of dark brown sugar, plus the white granular sugar. Also used buttermilk instead of whole milk. The loaf cakes rose up nicely. Can’t wait to eat some tonight!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Frances, Love the modifications, I bet your house smells wonderful! Thank you for the review!
Harriet Wilks says
This is such a good bread! I substituted dried figs for the fresh as I had that on hand. I did not have cardamom either. It is delicious even with my substitution and missing ingredient. I will definitely make this again!
Hilda Sterner says
Oh, Harriet, you have to try it with cardamom! For me, it makes the recipe! Thanks for the review!
Marina says
We have an abundance of fresh figs this year. Most recipes only use them as a garnish or topping. I made this bread exactly to the recipe and it was lovely. Even my anti-fig husband had a slice (or two) for breakfast every day this week.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Marina,
So happy to hear that, I miss fig bread so much!
Marina says
Why do you not have fig bread anymore?
Hilda Sterner says
When I lived in San Diego I had a fig tree, my neighbor had one, and many of my friends. I had so many figs!!! Now that I live in Montana, you can't grow figs here, it's too cold. I brought a sapling and planted in a pot. I keep it indoors, but the few figs that grow never mature.
Marina says
Would you like me to send you a loaf?
Hilda Sterner says
Wow, Marina, you are so sweet! When I get desperate enough, I used dried figs or fig jam to make it, but I really appreciate your offer, thank you!
art says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Art, enjoy a slice or two for me!
MB says
Looks amazing ! Planning to bake this today with fresh figs from my tree but unsure what size loaf pans to use. 8 x4 or 9 x 5 ? Thank you !
Hilda Sterner says
It's a very forgiving recipe, either will work, but for a fuller loaf, you can use the smaller size.
MB says
Thanks so much ! will use the 8 x 4 's for a taller loaf.
Susan says
What size loaf pan?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Susan, it really doesn't matter, either 8x4 or 9x5. The smaller one will give you a fuller loaf. Good luck!
Susan says
I tried it today. I made a few modifications. I baked it at 325 for an hour and poured the batter in two 8½ x 4½-inch loaves because I found it be too much batter for one loaf pan. I used butter instead of oil and no milk. I cut down the figs a bit more so it would be more evenly dispersed in the batter like a zucchini loaf. Came out nice. The spices are really nice too.
Hilda Sterner says
Great, Susan, thanks for the update and for including the modifications!