Spanish Fig Cake: The Best Recipe Around

Our Spanish fig cake is soft and spongy yet full-bodied. The figs are the key to this cake's moisture. Try it out for yourself today!

Have you ever tried Spanish fig cake? If not, you’re in for a treat. This recipe very simple to prepare and pairs with all kinds of fall or winter foods (both savory and sweet dishes).

Figs are an incredible fruit. Biologically, they’re actually not fruits, but rather an infructescence, or a group of fruits bunched together. Thus, they’re similar to strawberries or pineapples.

Figs can be harvested in the late summer, fall, or winter, depending on the type of fig and hemisphere.

Fig Nutrition Facts

• Figs are about 70-80% water.
• They contain around 12-19% carbohydrates, mainly fructose, glucose and sugar.
• Figs are rich in vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, beta-carotenes and vitamin C. Some of these nutrients have antioxidant effects.
• They provide a substantial amount of fiber.

Figs can be enjoyed fresh or dried. However, be aware that their nutritional value changes considerably.

• A fresh fig is around 80% water and 12% sugar.
• On the other hand, a dried fig is only 20% water and around 48% sugar.
• When dried, the effects of potassium are stronger and fiber also increases.

With these benefits in mind, we’ll show you the best recipe for a delicious Spanish fig cake. It’s a simple one that won’t require too much time nor ingredients.

The recipe hails from the mountains in the province of Cordoba and offers a lovely fragrance and flavor. The cake is generally eaten during September.

Ingredients for the Spanish fig cake

• 1 liter (about 4 cups) of water
• 1 kg (about 2 pounds) of dried figs
• A pinch of ground clove
• 2 cups of walnuts (200 g)
• 1 handful of fennel (250 g)
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (3 g)
• 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds (10 g)
• 2 cups + 1/4 cup of toasted almonds (250 g)

Preparing your fig cake: the first steps

1. First, remove the stems from the figs and chop into small pieces.
2. Then, finely chop the fennel.
3. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the fennel. Boil for 10 minutes.
4. After, remove the fennel. Don’t throw out the boiled water.
5. Move the water to a bigger pot and add enough water to blanch the figs.
6. Bring the water back to a boil. When ready, add the figs and boil for about 5 minutes.
7. Remove the figs with a strainer or colander.
8. Chop the almonds and walnuts. After, blanch them.
9. Remove the skin from the almonds and toast them slightly, moving them constantly to prevent from burning.
10. Then, toast the sesame seeds in a pan. After, grind the sesame seeds.

Preparing your fig cake: the final steps

1. Move the figs back to the pot and add the toasted nuts, ground clove, cinnamon and ground sesame seeds. Stir together.
2. Cover a baking dish with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from sticking to the sides. You’ll be using the dish as a mold. You can also choose to use several smaller dishes instead of one big one.
3. Slowly add the fig paste to the dish, pressing down with a spoon to make sure that it fits well in the mold.
4. When the cake is about two inches centimeters high, wrap the cake with the film and press down firmly to flatten it out.
5. Remove the cakes from the plastic wrap and onto a surface covered with aluminum foil. Cover with a cheesecloth and place a weight on top of them.
6. Leave to dry out for a day. 
7. After one day, remove the weight, but leave the cheesecloth on for a few more days or until you consume the cake.

After about two days, your fig cakes will be ready. You can enjoy them as they are or spread a little berry jam on top. Some people enjoy them with a nice cup of coffee.

This recipe doesn’t use any ingredients that could sabotage your diet, so you can enjoy it guilt-free. In addition, you’ll benefit from the nutritional value that comes with the nuts.