French Baking: French Cake with Figs – Quick & Easy
If you love France and want to bring the "savoir vivre" home with you, this fig cake recipe is just the thing. It combines the sweetness of ripe figs with a hint of bitter almonds and a smooth yogurt base – a classic treat the French love. This makes French baking fun!
I, Monika Fuchs, travel journalist and food blogger at TravelWorldOnline, found the recipe on a Gourmet trip along the Rhône Discovered – from Lyon to Avignon to the Camargue. There, for example, I collected many traditional baking ideas at the weekly markets that are typical of French cuisine. This recipe brings the aroma of the South of France directly into your kitchen.
What is a French fig cake?
A fig cake (Gâteau aux Figues) is a moist sponge cake with fresh figs, almonds and yogurt.
It's typical of southern France, where fig trees grow in many gardens. The recipe combines simple ingredients with a Mediterranean flavor.
How to bake fig cake? – French Baking
Ingredients for this fig cake recipe
- two cups of flour
- 1 cup ground almonds
- one cup of sugar
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 sachet of baking powder
- a teaspoon of bitter almond flavor
- seven fresh figs
- forty grams of sugar under the figs in the pan
How to prepare the fig cake recipe – Easy French Baking
Step-by-step instructions
1. Preheat oven: 180 °C top/bottom heat.
2. Prepare the mold: grease or line with baking paper.
3. Mix dry ingredients: Flour, almonds, sugar, baking powder.
4. Add liquid ingredients: Mix yogurt, oil, eggs and bitter almond flavoring well.
5. Cutting figs: about 1 cm thick. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom of the pan and place the figs on top.
6. Pour the dough over it: smooth out and bake for 30–40 minutes.
7. Let cool and serve.
💡 Tip: The cake tastes especially good with some vanilla cream or hot chocolate with cinnamon.
Why this recipe works
This recipe is simple, reliable, and wonderfully aromatic thanks to the fresh figs and almonds. It's perfect for anyone who loves French baking but doesn't want to spend hours in the kitchen.
If you like figs, you will also like my Plum cake with sprinkles or a Mühlviertler Wasp nests love. You can also find both recipes here on the blog.
How do you bake French food at home?
French baking often seems more complicated than it is. Important ingredients include:
- High-quality ingredients (preferably fresh figs and good almonds),
- precise weighing, especially for cup sizes,
- Be patient when baking – it’s better to leave it in the oven a little longer until it’s golden brown.
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Convert international units of measurement
Many international recipes use units of measurement such as cups or ounces. To quickly convert these into grams or milliliters, I use the Online tool from Cooking Schools – super helpful for every recipe! I use the Ingredients conversion from Cooking Schools.
French lifestyle in the oven
This cake will transport you mentally to the South of France – to a terrace where the scent of lavender fills the air and the espresso sits next to the still-warm fig cake.
Such culinary travel memories are exactly what I like most about Slow Travel excited – the conscious enjoyment of places as well as moments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about French Baking
What is the best way to store fig cake?
Wrapped in foil or sealed airtight, it will keep moist for 2-3 days.
Can I use dried figs?
Yes, but they should be soaked in warm water or rum for 15 minutes beforehand.
Is the recipe suitable for muffins or mini cakes?
Absolutely! Just reduce the baking time to about 20 minutes.
Discover more French recipes
If you are still craving French pastries, take a look at these Cookbooks about French baking* – ideal for connoisseurs.
(*Affiliate link – If you purchase through this link, for example, you support our blog at no extra cost to you.)
About the Author
I am Monika Fuchs, a journalist, travel blogger and connoisseur.
For over 20 years, I've been discovering traditional recipes while traveling—from French patisseries to Canadian bakeries—and then testing them in my kitchen.
My articles have appeared in DIE ZEIT, 360° Canada and on TravelWorldOnline.de, one of Germany's leading gourmet travel blogs.
📌 Remember the recipe
📍 French fig cake – sweet, moist, but also full of southern French feeling!
Be sure to pin it on Pinterest so you have it handy the next time you bake.
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Text French baking: (c) Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos of French baking: (c) Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
