Pour a cup of coffee and slice into this Spiced Fig Preserve Cake; a sticky sweet spiced bundt cake packed with luscious fig preserves!
This week I have been off my game; as I am sure many of you. I have sat down to write countless times. But the words just don’t come. I am distracted and can’t focus. Writing has been and I hope will always be my way to deal with life, to express myself… to be free. But sometimes, even though I’ve dealt with a similar circumstance before, I just don’t know what to do or, more importantly, what to say. To not only help myself, but others.
So I just sit and think and think some more. I try to pick up a pen and scribble down some thoughts, or stare at a blank computer screen and I hope the right words will come, but they don’t.
At those moments, I just close the computer, toss aside my journal, turn off the TV and my phone and do other things that bring me joy. Because despite the fact that I have always found hope, found peace, found happiness in the writing process and the wise, poignant words of others; sometimes that isn’t enough.
Sometimes I need a breath of fresh air; literally. Or need to craft and create something with my hands. Sometimes I need to put the beach tunes of Jack Johnson on repeat; so that in my head and my heart I am transported to some far away place.
But mostly I just need to connect with people. In real life. Doing something that doesn’t involve talks about religion or politics or current headlines. Conversations about the weather, an upcoming vacation, or that adorable thing your kid said, while bonding over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake; well that’s what I think we need more of.
Or at least I think I do.
Baking brings me such joy, not only because I turn up the beats, vigorously whisk and take pride in a treat that I prepared from scratch; but I cherish that opportunity to share that treat with another soul. To see them enjoy a confection made with love and passion and appreciate it. To get to know, even your bestest friend on a deeper level, even if you are simply bonding by laughing at one or the others’ clumsiness.
Yes, my friends. THAT is what helps us cope and is what the world needs a little bit more of!
This Spiced Fig Preserve Cake is quite possibly the best “bond with your bestie or a complete stranger over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake” cake! I have made some variation of this cake for several years, most recently for a woman’s retreat that I cooked at. This cake helped those ladies bond with each other as they sipped their morning coffee and prepared for the day. Not only that, since they loved this cake so much, they came into the kitchen to thank the chef (ME!) and ask for the recipe; which allowed for more conversations and the opportunity to connect with complete strangers. That, I believe, is the true testament of a fantastic recipe.
One Year Ago: Sriracha Glazed Shrimp with Quinoa
Two Years Ago: Patriotic Flag Cake (a.k.a Mixed Berry “Shortcake” Sheet Cake)
Three Years Ago: Crunchy Zucchini Chips
Four Years Ago: Cookie Burgers and Pie Fries
Five Years Ago: Green Bean Fries
Six Years Ago: Artichoke and Bacon Pizza Squares
Seven Years Ago: Israeli Spice Pork Chops
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 16-ounce jar fig preserves
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour one 12-cup Bundt pan or three medium loaf pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Remove 2 tablespoons flour mixture and place in a small bowl. Add pecans to flour mixture in small bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Add flour mixture to creamed butter alternating with buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Beat in fig preserves and fold in floured pecans.
- Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan, filling no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees F. then lower oven temperature to 300 and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 20-25 minutes, then invert on to rack and remove pan to cool completely.
- Serve plain, with a dollop of whipped cream or buttermilk caramel sauce, if desired.
Cake can be stored in an air tight container for 3-4 days or wrapped in foil and frozen for 6-8 months.
Adapted from My San Antonio
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Salted Bourbon Vanilla Granola and Caramelized Fig Parfaits {How Sweet It Is}
Ricotta Tart with Honey and Figs {A Treats Affair}
Applesauce Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze
Spiced Pear Crumb Cake
Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
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