FRESH FIG CAKE RECIPE: VEGAN AND GUILT-FREE - Veggiecurean (2024)

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Figs are a wonderful way to add natural sweetness to baked goods. This Vegan Fresh Fig Cake recipe makes an unbelievably soft, moist, and delicate cake that is perfect for the summer when fresh figs are in season. Using fig jam between two fluffy cake layers, this recipe is actually pretty easy and quick to put together. It’s then topped with the most amazing vegan cream cheese frosting. For a sweet touch, add a few sliced sweet and sticky figs to the top of the cake and sprinkle it with toasted walnuts. You can also use this cake recipe to accommodate the seasons and swap the figs out for apples or pears. This fig cake is great in the morning with tea or as a dessert after dinner. Serve this cake for the holidays and your guests won’t even believe that you made it from scratch.

FRESH FIG CAKE RECIPE: VEGAN AND GUILT-FREE

Even though it’s not quite fig season yet, I am seeing lots of fresh figs in grocery stores all over New York, so of course I grabbed some. I usually like to grill and stuff figs with walnuts, but it’s not quite grilling season yet either, so I decided to bake them! To my and my family’s surprise, fig cake is not just gorgeous on the outside but it tastes amazing. It only lasted a total of 24 hours!

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  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Allergens: Gluten, Nuts, Wheat
  • Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 3/4cupsall-purpose flour
  • 1tablespooncornstarch
  • 1tablespoonbaking powder
  • 1/2teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1/8teaspoonsalt
  • 2/3cupcoconut sugar
  • 1/2cupcanola or grapseed oil
  • 7/8cupsparkling water
  • 1teaspoonvanilla extract
  • 1lemon(zest)
  • 1tablespoonapple cider vinegar(or lemon juice)

Vanilla Cream Frosting

  • 1cupcoconut cream(from top of canned coconut milk)
  • 1cupvegan cream cheese(plain)
  • 1/2cuppowdered sugar
  • 1teaspoonguar gum
  • 1vanilla bean

Toppings

  • 1cupfig jam
  • Fresh figs(sliced)
  • 1cupwalnuts(chopped)

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 355 degrees F.

  2. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper.

  3. In a large bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda.

  4. Add salt and sugar, and whisk to combine.

  5. Add oil, sparkling water, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and vinegar, and stir until just combined. (Don’t overmix or the cake will get dense instead of fluffy!)

  6. Fill the prepared cake pan with dough and bake until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the surface of the cake springs back when gently touched with fingertips (about 35 minutes).

  7. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes.

  8. Carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.

Vanilla Cream Frosting

  1. Split and scrape vanilla bean into bowl.

  2. With a handheld mixer, mix in vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Set aside.

  3. In another bowl, whip coconut cream and gum until stiff, then carefully fold in creamy vegan cream cheese.

Assembly

  1. Cut the cake horizontally in 2 equal layers.

  2. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread the fig jelly layer over the cake.

  3. Top with the second layer then spread vanilla cream frosting all over the top and sides.

  4. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.

  5. Decorate with fresh figs and walnuts, then serve immediately.

Storage Tip

  1. This cake is best when eaten fresh. Store the leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Given that it has coconut cream, it’s not advisable to leave it out on the counter at room temperature as it will soften and melt. When ready to serve, just let it sit out for 10 minutes before eating so it warms up a bit.

BON APPÉTIT!

    FRESH FIG CAKE RECIPE: VEGAN AND GUILT-FREE - Veggiecurean (1)

    WHAT MAKES THE FIG CAKE MOIST?

    If you’ve ever made a dry, dense cake, listen up. The secret to this light and fluffy cake is seltzer water. The air bubbles in the seltzer expand during baking and allow cakes to rise better and prevent them from drying out. In addition to seltzer water, we top it with fig jam and just half a cup of vegetable oil, giving way to a moist and delicious cake. The vegan cream cheese frosting in this recipe is incredible, but the cake is so moist it doesn’t need it. The frosting also makes an appearance in my Carrot Cake recipe, as it is addicting and can be used to top cupcakes, tarts, and various other cakes.

    WHAT ELSE CAN I MAKE WITH FRESH FIGS?

    • Grill + add to salad: Simply slice figs in quarters (or halves) and place them directly on the grill for a minute or two or until they get grill marks on them. Grilling brings out the natural sugars in figs and gives them a caramelized taste, perfect for adding a sweet contrast to a savory salad.
    • Stuff them: What better way to impress your family and house guests than to serve up cute little stuffed figs? To prepare, trim off the stems of figs and cut an “X” in the top of each fig 1/3 of the way through. Gently open the fig and stuff with some vegan ricotta or goat cheese. Place stuffed figs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes at 350 degrees F. Drizzle them with a balsamic reduction or maple syrup and voila!
    • Top bruschetta: Gorgeous purple figs can elevate any plain old toast in an instant. Cut them into thin slices and add them as a topping. Try vegan cream cheese as a spread and top with fresh thyme leaves, chopped pecans, and sliced figs. Yum!

    WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE FRESH FIGS?

    Fresh figs are quite delicate, which is why I usually prefer to use dried figs in any kind of baking such as in my Panforte recipe, a cake typically served around Christmas time from Siena in Italy’s Tuscany region. Dried figs can keep up to a year in your pantry if stored properly – I like to keep them in air-tight mason jars. Nothing compares to the sweetness and juiciness of fresh figs, however. They have a sweet aroma and taste. Dried figs on the other hand have more concentrated flavors. When I can get my hands on fresh figs, I make use of them right away. So what’s the best way to store fresh figs?

    Figs are about 80 perfect water, making this fragile fruit easily susceptible to bruising, according to Taste Of Home. They start to spoil the minute they’re picked off the tree. It will be obvious to you when a fig has spoiled – it will be mushy and the juices will start to leak through the skins. Keep figs on the countertop at room temperature for up to 3 days. Spread them out in one layer on a plate lined with a paper towel (to soak up the juices), taking care not to bunch or stack them up on top of each other, and cover the plate with plastic. Refrigerating them can extend their shelf life to 7 days; just use the use plating method mentioned above.

    I can’t wait for you to try it. Please leave your comments below and tell me how you served this dish! Also, share or tag us on social media @veggiecurean.

    FRESH FIG CAKE RECIPE: VEGAN AND GUILT-FREE - Veggiecurean (2024)

    FAQs

    Can I use fresh figs instead of dried? ›

    The answer is yes, no and maybe. Like most fresh fruits, fresh figs have more moisture than dried. A recipe calling for fresh figs takes that moisture into consideration. If you are wanting to substitute dried figs for fresh, you will need to try to add some of the moisture back.

    Why is my vegan cake crumbly? ›

    If you don't use enough binding ingredients, your cake may crumble. Other factors include using too much flour, not enough liquid, or not enough fat in the batter. Overmixing, baking at too high of a temperature, or overbaking can also lead to a crumbly cake.

    What is a substitute for fresh figs in salad? ›

    Peaches or nectarines are a great option for replacing fresh figs.

    What is a cake of pressed figs? ›

    A fig-cake is a mass or lump of dried and compressed figs, usually formed by a mold into a round or square block for storage, or for selling in the marketplace for human consumption.

    Why put baking soda on figs? ›

    Alkalinity breaks down the structure of plant cell walls. I assume the purpose of this baking soda bath is to soften the structure of the fig. That's why yours softened so much. If you want to maintain the structure of the fig, try using an acidic bath, as acidity helps to maintain plant cell structure.

    Why do you soak figs in baking soda? ›

    Sprinkle the baking soda over the figs; cover with the 12 cups of boiling water. Soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This helps remove any latex from the skin of any slightly under-ripe figs.

    What to avoid when baking vegan? ›

    Dairy, whether it's milk or yogurt or sour cream, helps keep baked goods moist. It's also unfortunately not vegan. But don't skimp on the creamy stuff—it really helps to make a dense and luscious-textured pastry. Experiment with alt-milks, like almond milk.

    Why do vegan cakes need vinegar? ›

    I know it may seem strange to add vinegar to baked goods, but just think of it as a chemical reaction. The baking soda in your recipe needs a little acid to help it start reacting (bubbling). That's why recipes will call for things like lemon juice or buttermilk.

    Why aren t fresh figs sold in stores? ›

    Because figs are strongly seasonal and don't travel well. They are ripe for just a few weeks a year and can't be preserved. Beside, they are very soft, don't ripen much once picked (so you can't pick them green and hope they are ripe by the time you sell them), and being very soft they get squashed easily.

    Why are fresh figs so expensive? ›

    Fresh figs are delicate and tend to be expensive due to shipping, so dried figs are a much more cost-effective way to experience figs. They add a perfect for a pop of sweetness in salads or desserts. Figs are also excellent cooked; roasting them coaxes out even more of their deep, honey-like caramelized flavor.

    Do you peel figs before baking? ›

    The best way to enjoy figs is raw, with the skin and seeds intact. You can also remove the peels and scoop out the seeds, if you like, or cook figs by baking, broiling or grilling them.

    What is Elvis Presley cake? ›

    An Elvis Presley cake is a single-layer classic yellow cake that's topped with a pineapple glaze. Much like a poke cake, the syrup and juices of the pineapple will seep into the cake through fork holes, resulting in a decadent, ultra-moist cake.

    Why do Italians love figs? ›

    Menniti says this love of fig trees comes from reverence for a historical means of survival. For agricultural people in Southern Italy, a fig tree offered a source of fruit that could be dried and kept for lean times. The trees also became a symbol of adaptation.

    What is the white stuff from fig? ›

    This common occurrence is called sugaring on figs. The process sometimes happens in exceptionally sweet dried figs. It happens when the natural fruit sugars crystallize on the surface and appears as white powder on dried figs.

    Do fresh figs need to be soaked? ›

    Figs are an excellent source of dietary fibre, and when soaked, their soluble fibre content increases. This aids in promoting a healthy digestive system by preventing constipation and supporting regular bowel movements, ensuring a smooth start to your day.

    How do you soften fresh figs? ›

    You'll want to remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before eating, as they taste best at room temperature. Underripe figs can be stored at room temp until the flesh softens. When you're ready to eat, simply run the figs under cold, running water to clean them.

    Do fresh figs taste like dried figs? ›

    Fresh figs have a sweet, honeyed taste and a soft, squishy texture studded with discernible seeds that give it crunch. Dried figs have a concentrated sweetness and a chewy texture; the seeds are nearly undetectable.

    Should figs be soaked before eating? ›

    Figs soaked in water overnight may help your vascular and heart health. As they are packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants. Getting enough dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals is key for good blood flow and a healthy heart.

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