Fig Olive Oil Cake

This fig olive oil cake is one of those desserts that looks like it came from a bakery case but comes together with straightforward technique and a handful of seasonal ingredients.

A tender, moist olive oil cake is the perfect base for figs! I layer the cake with whipped ricotta cream but you could also use the best whipped cream recipe! Ricotta adds a beautiful flavor but also makes the whipped cream more stable and thicker.

If you are drawn to cakes that use different fats rather than butter, check out my chocolate mayonnaise cake, the best carrot cake recipe, or this easy, moist chocolate cake recipe, which uses the same principle and are worth having in your repertoire!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Olive Oil: The fat base for the cake layers, keeping the crumb tender even after refrigeration. If you love baking with olive oil, check out these olive oil chocolate chip cookies!
• Eggs
• Orange Zest: Zest directly over the sugar to catch the oils! You could also use lemon as I do with this lemon olive oil cake.
• Granulated Sugar:
• Milk: Whole milk is ideal here, but you can use any milk substitute you would like.
• Orange Juice: Contributes both moisture and acidity, which activates the baking soda. Fresh-squeezed and bottled both work, but fresh-squeezed is notably brighter.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda
• Salt
• All-Purpose Flour
• Ricotta: The base of the filling and whipped cream, giving it a fresh, slightly tangy character that pairs well with figs and honey. Full-fat ricotta produces the creamiest result, and then you can make this blueberry cake recipe next!
• Honey: Sweetens the frosting and reinforces the honeyed quality of ripe figs. You can substitute an equal amount of confectioners’ sugar if you prefer a more neutral sweetness.
• Confectioners’ Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Heavy Cream
• Fresh Figs

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations on This Fig Olive Oil Cake

• Chopped Figs in the Batter. You can chop your figs and add them to the batter before baking. I would place them on top, and they will naturally fall during the baking. You could also layer them on the bottom of the pan for a quick and easy upside down cake. Or you could add figs to this orange upside down cake!
• Change the fruit! You can use any seasonal fruit! Take the macerated strawberries from these individual strawberry shortcakes or layer in this blueberry coulis! Cherries, mixed berries, or stone fruit would all be absolutely delightful as well!
• Lemon! Layer the cake with this easy lemon curd, then you can top it with this lemon curd whipped cream recipe!
• Fall Cake! Make my pumpkin olive oil cake and layer with the ricotta mixture or use mascarpone! Figs would still be delightful, or you could layer them with this cranberry sauce!

How to Make This Fig Olive Oil Cake

Start with the cake so they have time to cool completely before you fill and stack them.

Make Cake

Step 1: Prep your pans and preheat. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and spray again.

Step 2: Infuse the sugar with orange zest. Zest the orange directly into the sugar and let it sit while you measure and prep everything else.

This short rest lets the zest oils infuse with the sugar, which carries that citrus flavor into the finished cake more effectively than adding zest with the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients together. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then whisk to distribute evenly.

Step 4: Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, orange-infused sugar, and milk until smooth and cohesive. The mixture should look glossy and uniform before you add the dry ingredients.

I start with the eggs and slowly add the oil to build a good emulsion. Then add the sugar, milk, and orange juice.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until very few lumps remain. Olive oil batters come together quickly and do not need prolonged mixing, so stop as soon as the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Step 6: Fill the pans and bake. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, starting to check at 20 minutes. The cakes are done when they are golden brown, and the center gives a little resistance when you press it lightly with a fingertip rather than springing back quickly, which is completely normal for an oil-based batter.

If you want to add chopped figs to the batter at this stage, scatter them over the top of each pan just before baking. They will sink to the bottom during baking.

Step 7: Cool the layers completely. Leave the cakes in their pans until fully cool before turning them out onto a rack or directly onto your cake stand. Rushing this step tears the layers.

Step 8: Process the ricotta until smooth. Blend the ricotta in a food processor or with an immersion blender until completely lump-free. Reserve about 1 cup of the smooth ricotta for the whipped cream, and set the rest aside for the filling.

Step 9: Make the ricotta honey filling. Stir 1 tablespoon of honey into the larger portion of smooth ricotta. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until firm. The firmer this filling is when you spread it, the better it holds the layers in place, so if your ricotta is on the wetter side, give it extra time to firm up.

Step 10: Make the ricotta whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the reserved 1 cup of blended ricotta, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and cold heavy cream. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. The cream will look loose and sloshy for the first minute or two. Once it starts to thicken, it moves fast, so keep an eye on it. Transfer to the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble.

Be careful not to over-whip; once over-whipped, the ricotta can make it grainy, and there is no saving it.

Assemble the Cake

Step 11: Assemble the first layer. Unmold the first cake layer onto your cake plate or stand. Spread the chilled ricotta honey filling evenly over the top. The filling should be thick and spreadable rather than runny. If you want figs between the layers, arrange slices over the filling now before adding the top layer.

Step 12: Add the second layer. Unmold the second cake layer and set it directly on top of the filling, pressing gently to level it.

Step 13: Finish with whipped cream and figs. Mound all of the ricotta whipped cream on top of the cake. You do not need to spread it to the edges formally. Pile the quartered fresh figs generously over the cream, drizzle everything with honey, and serve.

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

This fig olive oil cake, with its tender crumb, cream ricotta filling, and topping, is truly a show-stopping dessert. If you are looking for more inspiration, browse all my Cake Recipes or head right over to this lemon cake recipe!