Why you’ll love this cake…
This orange, almond and fig cake is officially my current baking obsession. 🍊
Our next-door neighbour has a fig tree that absolutely overflowed this season, and she kindly dropped off a HUGE bag for us to enjoy (one of the many reasons we love living in Northland!). Of course, fresh figs are delicious eaten just as they are, but my favourite way to use them has been in this cake… which I’ve now made three times in the last two weeks alone!
This cake is everything I love about simple, seasonal baking. A beautifully moist orange, vanilla and almond cake, stuffed with sweet, jammy baked figs before being drizzled with a fragrant orange, honey and cardamom syrup that soaks into every slice. The fresh orange keeps the cake bright and zesty, while the almond adds a lovely richness and tender crumb. As the figs bake, they become wonderfully soft and almost caramel-like, making every bite even more irresistible.
It’s the kind of cake that feels both effortless and a little bit special. Fancy enough to serve to guests, yet simple enough to bake on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Whether you’re making the most of a bumper fig harvest or you’ve picked up a bag from the market, this is one of those recipes that really lets beautiful seasonal fruit shine.
Personally, I think it’s at its absolute best served just slightly warm, when the syrup is still sticky and fragrant and the figs are beautifully soft. Pair it with a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt, mascarpone or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, or simply enjoy a slice alongside your morning coffee. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, don’t worry—it’s still absolutely flipping delicious a few days later.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes absolutely! You can replace the figs for any fruit with a similar firmness/texture to figs. I have made this cake with apricots and plums before. This cake is super versatile, you can even use canned fruit.
No not at all! I love the syrup as it adds another layer of flavour and tang, but this cake is still super delicious without it.
Storage:
Once completely cooled, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Orange, Almond and Fig Cake
Equipment
- 8 inch cake tin
Ingredients
Orange, vanilla and almond cake
- 150 g butter softened
- 150 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 80 g plain flour
- 100 g almond flour
- 70 g plain yoghurt
- 8 figs
Orange, honey and cardamom syrup
- 50 g caster sugar
- 30 g honey
- juice of 1 orange
- 2 x cardamom pods crushed
To serve
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
Instructions
Orange, vanilla and almond cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake). Rustically line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Cut a circle that is larger than the cake tin and press it into the tin, keeping the sides a little ruffled.
- Beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Fold in the flour, then the almond flour and finally the yoghurt.
- Pour the cake batter into the cake tin and spread evenly using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Slice the figs in half lengthways, then press gently into the cake (I also trim the tops a little too if they are longer).
- Bake the cake for 50 minutes.
Orange, honey and cardamom syrup
- When the cake is almost finished baking, prepare the syrup. Place all the ingredients for the syrup into a small pot and over a medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the sugar has melted and the syrup is hot and bubbly.
- Once the cake comes out of the oven, pour the hot syrup through a sieve all over the surface of the cake, then allow to cool in the tin.
To finish
- Once cooled, or at least mostly cooled, sprinkle the cake with caster sugar, then serve.
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