There’s something magical about a cake that tells a story—and this one begins on a small barrier island off the coast of North Carolina. My friend Cathy R recently attended a family wedding on Ocracoke Island. She returned bearing a delightful souvenir: a beautiful recipe card for Ocracoke Fig Cake. I love that she thought to give it to me knowing that I love a good food challenge. This cake is sweet and tender, with the coziness of a spice cake and the richness of figs.

Ocracoke, known for its ancient fig trees—some over 200 years old—celebrates this fruit with such reverence that they host an annual fig festival. This island is also known as the place where famed pirate, Blackbeard, died in 1718 and is buried.

Inspired, I baked one for a Beagling Tea using Wegmans Fig Preserves (California-grown, admittedly not Ocracoke figs) since fresh figs were not an option. My fallback was the excellent Dalmatia Fig Spread (Original), made from Mediterranean coastal Croatian figs. Either option works beautifully—no need to chop, as the preserves are wonderfully smooth.

The recipe I landed on was adapted from one featured on PBS North Carolina, developed by Sheri Castle as a tribute to Trudy Austin, who has won in the traditional fig cake category more than once. While Trudy’s prize-winning version remains a secret (as it should!), this one was a close contender. I preferred it to the recipe card as it had a bit more spice plus pecans in place of walnuts. Cathy and I both like pecans and they feel fittingly Southern.

One tip: be sure to use at least a 10-cup Bundt pan, as the batter rises more than you’d expect. If you have extra, bake it off in a small baking dish for a shorter period of time. And instead of vegetable oil, I used refined coconut oil (melted and cooled slightly), which lends a neutral taste and avoids seed oils.

The result? Moist, warmly spiced, and delightfully figgy. I kept things simple with a dusting of powdered sugar, but a glaze wouldn’t be out of place. Ed declared it delicious enough to enjoy year-round, not just in fall. It was a hit at the Beagling Tea as well—not a crumb was left on the plate.

This is one I’ll be making again and again—thanks to Cathy, Ocracoke, and a little Southern fig magic.

Okracoke Fig Cake

Fig Cake with a Southern soul

5 from 1 vote

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Course Dessert

Servings 16 servings

Ingredients

3 large eggs at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup refined coconut oil see Notes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup buttermilk see Notes
2 cups (~ 17 to 20 ounces) fig jam or preserves see Notes
1 cup chopped pecans
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan (see Notes) or mist it thoroughly wiht a non-stick spray that contains flour.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well-beaten. Add the sugar, coconut oil and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in thirds, alternating with half of the buttermilk, whisking only until the batter is smooth after each addition.
Fold in the fig preserves and pecans.
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, and then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
Cake can be prepared a day in advance and stored, covered, at room temperature. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes

Be sure to use at least a 10-cup Bundt pan, as the batter rises more than you’d expect. Fill the batter to one inch from the top. If you have extra batter, bake it off in a small baking dish for a shorter period of time.
I used refined coconut oil which lends a neutral taste and avoids seed oils. You can also use the same amount of vegetable or canola oil. If using coconut oil, measure 1 cup of coconut oil in a dry measuring cup (like one used to measure flour) or 225 grams if using a scale. Transfer it to a glass measuring cup or bowl. Microwave on high in 15 second intervals until just melted, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly before mixing it into your batter so that the eggs don’t get scrambled.
I recommend using SACO Cultured Buttermilk Blend in place of fresh buttermilk. You’ll find it in the baking section of your grocery store. Follow directions on the container for use. It keeps for a few years refrigerated so you always have buttermilk on hand.
Each fig season, Trudy and her husband, John, follow an old family tradition—preserving figs in a simple sugar syrup. They make hundreds of jars, ensuring a taste of summer lasts all year long. Trudy’s preserves are delightfully chunky, so she chops them finely before folding them into her cake batter. If your preserves are smoother—whether homemade or store-bought—there’s no need to chop a thing.
I used Wegmans Fig Preserves (2 jars—10 ounces each) since fresh figs were not an option. An alternative is Dalmatia Fig Spread (Original) (2 jars—8.5 ounces each).