My easy Fig Jam Cake comes together in one bowl and one pan, with just 13 minutes of hands-on prep before it goes in the oven. It doesn’t get much easier than that! The Maple Frosting is optional but is oh so good with this fig cake! The shortcut here is using a jar of fig jam (or my Slow Cooker Fig Jam) right in the batter, so you skip out on chopping or pureeing any fruit.
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Fig Jam Cake with Maple Frosting gets its rich flavor from a full cup of fig jam stirred right into the batter, so every single bite is packed with that deep, sweet fig taste. And the maple buttercream on top adds a flavorful sweetness that pairs perfectly with the figs! It's simple, easy to make, but really tastes like something special.
Bake it in a 9x13 pan instead of stacking fussy cake layers, you'll be making this easy fig cake again and again. If you're cake-obsessed like me, you'll love my Easy Chocolate Magic Cake and Carrot Bundt Cake, too.
I make this old fashioned fig cake with my homemade fig jam whenever my fig trees are producing, and I'll tell you, I've gone to some lengths for a bucket of fresh figs. I once spotted the biggest fig tree I'd ever seen across the road from a yard sale, walked right up and knocked on the door, and asked the woman living there if I could pick from it when they were ripe. She said yes!
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I made this yesterday and it turned out great. I made it as written with the small exception of a tablespoon of bourbon in the frosting.
That's just how we do things down here! And sure enough, I came back a few weeks later to get a few of those gorgeous figs, and made a sweet new "distant neighbor" in the process. I even brought her some fig cake later on so they could enjoy some!
If your figs (or your neighbor's tree) don't cooperate, don't worry. A jar of store-bought fig jam or preserves works just as well in this recipe.
You can also eat it as a snack cake with no frosting or dress it up with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of my Fig and Lemon Preserves turns it into a real showstopper for company.
My Sticky Fig Pudding Cake is another favorite recipe you'll enjoy with either fresh figs or dried figs.
Shortcuts
- Use store-bought fig jam. Skip making your own fig jam from scratch and grab a jar off the shelf! It works beautifully in this recipe, just be sure it's labeled jam or preserves and not jelly.
- Skip the frosting altogether. Baked in a 13x9" pan and served plain with a dusting of powdered sugar, this cake becomes an easy snack cake.
- No stacking a three-layer cake to wrestle with.
- Swap the maple syrup. If you don't have pure maple syrup on hand for the frosting, good ol' pancake syrup will do the trick in a pinch.
Ingredients
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
For the Cake:
- Salted butter - Butter is essential here for flavor and texture. Don't substitute margarine, which is mostly whipped oil and water and won't give you the same rich, moist crumb.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar - Using both sugars together gives the cake the right sweetness plus a little extra moisture and depth from the brown sugar.
- Large eggs - Eggs help bind the batter and give the cake its structure.
- Milk - Adds moisture to keep the cake nice and tender.
- Vanilla extract - For some extra flavor.
- All-purpose flour and baking soda - The base and leavener that give the cake its rise and structure.
- Fig jam - Use my Slow Cooker Fig Jam or a store-bought jar. Just double check the label since jelly is made from just the fruit juice, while jam contains the whole fruit, and you want jam here for the best texture and flavor.
For the Maple Buttercream Frosting:
- Salted or unsalted butter - The creamy base of the frosting. Add ⅛ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar - Gives the frosting its sweetness and structure.
- Pure maple syrup - Adds that warm, cozy maple flavor. Pancake syrup can be substituted if that's what you have on hand.
- Milk or half-and-half - Thins the frosting to a smooth, spreadable consistency.
How to Make Fig Jam Cake
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9" baking pan.
- Beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the milk and vanilla.
- Gradually beat in the flour and baking soda, then add the fig jam and mix just until combined.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
- For the frosting, beat the butter until fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and maple syrup and beat until well combined. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable.
- Frost the cooled cake and cut into 30 small pieces for a party or 15 pieces for full-size servings.
A little tip! The batter will look flecked with little bits of fig and that's exactly what you want to seeI It means your cake is going to be nice and moist.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use store-bought fig jam in place of homemade fig jam if you're short on time or don't have fresh figs on hand.
- Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for a little crunch and nutty flavor.
- Bake it taller. This same batter also works in a 9x9" pan for a taller cake, just increase the bake time to about 35 minutes.
- Skip the frosting and serve it warm with a dusting of powdered sugar as a simple snack cake instead. Or, top it off with a dollop of whipped topping and a drizzle of more jam!
- Add ins. Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts, orange zest or a ½ teaspoon.
Pro Tips
- Don't substitute margarine for the butter. Margarine is mostly whipped oil and water, and it just won't give you the same rich flavor or moist texture that real butter does in this cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting. If you frost it while it's still warm, the buttercream will melt right off instead of setting up nice and smooth on top.
- Add the frosting's milk slowly. A little goes a long way, so add it one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. You can always add a touch more if needed.
- Double check your jam label. Jam and jelly aren't the same thing! Jam contains the pureed whole fruit while jelly is made from just the juice, and you'll want true fig jam for the best flavor and texture in this cake.
What to Serve with Fig Preserve Cake
This fig cake recipe is right at home wherever Southern hospitality calls for a sweet treat. Serve it plain, still a little warm from the oven, with coffee (it is like a fig jam coffee cake after all!) or with sweet tea for an after-school snack.
It’s also perfect for occasions where you need to feed a crowd! Anything from office parties or church potlucks are perfect for bringing a fig jam cake!
Storage
- To Store: Keep the cake with fig jam covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week if frosted.
- To Freeze: The unfrosted cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Thaw at room temperature before frosting or serving.
- To Make Ahead: Bake the cake a day ahead and store it covered at room temperature, then frost it the day you plan to serve it for the freshest look and taste!
FAQ's
Besides stirring it into this cake, fig jam is wonderful spread on a warm biscuit or spooned over a block of cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer!
Once frosted, it's best to store this cake in the refrigerator, especially if you won't be serving it the same day. Just let it sit out for a bit before serving so the frosting can soften back up.
Yes, this fig cake recipe doubles well if you need to feed a bigger group. Just bake it in two 13x9" pans rather than trying to squeeze it all into one. Keep an eye on the bake time, since it may need a few extra minutes depending on your oven.
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Fig Cake with Maple Frosting and Fig Jam
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup fig jam or preserves (my fig jam recipe or store bought)
Maple Buttercream Frosting
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar (Confectioners 10X)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (pancake syrup can be substituted)
- 3 tablespoons milk or half-n-half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.
- Beat butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs on medium-low speed, one at a time, beating just until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat just until combined.
- Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl or large paper plate. Gradually add flour mixture to mixing bowl, beating on low speed. Add Fig Jam and beat on medium-low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into a greased 13x9"-inch baking pan. Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Maple Buttercream Frosting
- Prepare frosting. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl at medium speed of an electric mixer 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and maple syrup and beat on low speed at first, then medium speed until well blended. It will be stiff. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating with the mixer, until smooth and creamy and spreading consistency. (Sometimes I add a tiny bit more milk- a little goes a long way)
- Frost the cooled cake with the Maple Frosting. Cut into 30 pieces for party finger food or 15 pieces for a full-size serving.
Notes
- How to Serve: I've topped this fig jam cake with whipped cream and Fig and Lemon Preserves. I've also frosted it and cut it into 30 pieces from a 13x9 pan to serve as a finger dessert at a church devo.
- Store-bought fig jam can be used in place of homemade Slow Cooker Fig Jam, just be sure the label says jam, not jelly.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting so the buttercream doesn't melt.
- For a taller cake, bake in a 9x9" pan for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Skip the frosting for a simple snack cake, dusted with powdered sugar instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Paul
I haven't made this yet, but I had a couple questions: the butter in the frosting says it should be softened first. Is that true for the butter in the cake, too?
Also, there's vanilla in the ingredients list, but nowhere in the instructions mentions adding it.
Kathleen
Yes, the butter should be softened in the cake recipe, too. The vanilla is added with the milk. Thank you and I hope you will try this delicious moist fig cake!
Jacqui
Where's the actual recipe for the maple butter frosting??
gritsandgouda
Hi! It was temporarily MIA. It's showing now. Thanks for letting me know and I hope you love the cake!