Skip to main content

Pecan Fig Bourbon Cake

3.8

(16)

Image may contain Bakery Shop Food and Bread
Pecan Fig Bourbon CakeRomulo Yanes

Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of time-honored ingredients—sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon—will have your guests clamoring for the recipe.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    3 1/2 hr

  • Yield

    Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

For cake

1 pound dried Black Mission figs, hard tips discarded
2 cups water
1/2 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 3/4 cups pecans (7 ounces)
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes

For icing

1 cup confectioners sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment: a 12-cup bundt pan

Preparation

  1. Make cake:

    Step 1

    Simmer figs in water in a heavy medium saucepan, covered, until figs are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Purée in a food processor with bourbon and vanilla. Cool to warm.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour bundt pan, knocking out excess flour.

    Step 3

    While oven preheats, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

    Step 4

    Lightly toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in oven, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool and coarsely chop. Leave oven on.

    Step 5

    Beat together brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in fig mixture. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated, then fold in pecans.

    Step 6

    Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, then invert onto a plate.

  2. Make icing:

    Step 7

    Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then whisk in remaining icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Read More
Grab your Easter basket and hop in—you’ll want to collect each and every one of these fun and easy Easter recipes.
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Like airy lemon chiffon cake and a Cadbury egg–inspired tart.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Like lemony risotto and tandoori-style cauliflower.
Think a Hugo spritz, a gin basil smash, and plenty more patio-ready pours.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.