This skillet cake was divided into four pieces and eaten without apology. There was coffee: two cups each. There were a few dishes in the sink: no one cared. There was that dusty morning summer sun. So good! There was that thing I didn’t want to talk about: how my cellphone landed in the toilet and died rather unceremoniously. So bad.
Morning cake makes all the difference. Forever and always.
The key to this breakfast cakery is the melted butter.
Melted butter means that we don’t have to cream together butter and sugar in a stand mixer.
Not having to cream butter in a stand mixer means that we don’t have to bring out big kitchen gear in the morning.
Not having to pull out big kitchen gear in the morning means that we can enjoy coffee AND eat CAKE!! Science (not at all).
The top of this cake is adorned with fresh figs.
The inside of this cake is adorned with ground cardamom. Dreamy!
Wet ingredients + Dry ingredients. The remix. (Not really… just the mix.)
Let’s bake this cake in a skillet. It feels more breakfasty that way, right?
The batter is fluffy and thick… like an edible pillow for fresh figs and sliced almonds.
Don’t act like I’m the only one that thinks about edible pillows.
Dream edible pillow: Chocolate Chip Brioche. No big deal.
Fresh figs, face up. Sliced almonds every which way. Turbinado sugar too!
This buttermilk skillet cake is a wonder in the oven. It’s not finicky and precious. It’s the kind of cake that doesn’t mind being slapped in a cast iron, topped with treats, and thrown in the oven. It’s the sort of cake you can make at 9am with one eye open. It’s forgiving… that’s what I’m trying to say.
We’re talking thick and moist.. not too sweet, but fig-topped and delicious. I love it!
Also… if you wanted to top this cake with sliced peaches or pitted cherries, you’re smart… you totally should!
Fresh Fig and Almond Breakfast Cake
makes 1 10-inch skillet cake
For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Topping:
8- 10 fresh figs (depending on the size), sliced in half
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons turbinado (or granulated) sugar for topping
To make the cake:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch cast iron skillet. You can also use a 10-inch cake pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and sugar. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and butter. Whisk in the vanilla and almond extract.
Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined and no lumps remain. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Top batter with fresh figs, gently pressing the figs part-way into the batter. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and then sprinkle generously with sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before slicing to serve.
Cake will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
Megan P.
Tardy to the party on this one but I do have a question… I’ve made this twice now (one with figs and one with peaches) and needed to bake twice as long as directed both times. Is it a typo or does my oven just suck?
Nicole
My dad had a fresh fig tree and always peeled the figs! Can you eat the skin? I had no idea!
Martin Huang
This is mouth watering. Definitely making this as my Sunday Breakfast.
Claire
I made this with the pear + pecan variation you recommended in your IG story/Let It Be Sunday, but both times I made it (it was really tasty), the dough was uncooked at the top under the pears and in the middle. I even left it in for about 10 minutes longer than the max suggestion, covered to prevent burning the top but it got dried out around the edges. What am I doing wrong?
Kate Cone
This is amazing! Made it this morning. Moist and delicious. I subbed a cup of local Maine Abenaki flint corn meal for 1 c. of the white flour. Makes it a bit denser and a bit healthier. Thanks, Joy!
Kaitlin
I came across some beautiful figs in the store this week so I just I made this cake. It was really simple to make and delicious, but it took at least twice as long as the recipe said to bake. I used a 10″ pan and it came out a lot thicker than I anticipated, too – wondering if maybe the skillet used here was 12″ rather than 10″.
Kammy J
I make this every year when our fig tree starts busting out the fruit. I use 2 cups almond flour and 1/2 cup AP flour. It is delicious and a bit more guilt-free- just in case anyone else is trying to cut down on their gluten.
Nikita Govil
Just made this cake for breakfast. It was very delicious! It was my in-laws wedding anniversary. Thanks for the recipe!
Cynthia
Just made this! No figs in the house, but apples worked nicely. Just that touch of almond extract really makes it so much better. Fantastic texture. Needed 40 mins in the oven, and got a perfect crust. Yum yum.
Evan
Picked a bowl full of figs from a friend’s tree and gave this cake a try tonight. I turned it into cakelets using a muffin tin- breakfast cake AND single serving! So delicious!! The cake is moist, not too sweet and wonderfully almond scented. I will definitely be making this again- maybe with cherries or plum to mix it up outside of fighting season.
Stevie
What about plums?
joythebaker
You can, it’s going to be a different thing. But yeah.
Margot
I have made this numerous times with figs and with cherries and tonight I just put it in the oven with cranberries on top. Fingers crossed!
Danielle
This is so good! I used while wheat flour and honey instead of sugar and we LOVED it. It will be bookmarked and baked again and again!
Mich
Absolutely delicious – most but firm and the sticky figs poking out the top are superb. But like others I had to bake for much longer (55 mins) – a larger cake tin would have made for a better ratio of fruit to cake I think…which gives me an excuse to make it again and make the most of my fig trees!
Davita
If fresh figs aren’t in the market.. What is a good sub? Thanks :)
fauzia
can i use dried fig instead of fresh ones….
joythebaker
Yes you can Fauzia, I think that will be great!
debbie lee
I have fresh figs, but they are frozen. Would I be able to use them? Wish I’d found this recipe back in July when I picked them.
Fran
I made it. The next time I will add more sugar to the batter, maybe a 1/4 cup.
canalcook
When I was backpacking in California, I stayed in a hostel where the owner baked several cakes every morning for people’s breakfasts. It remains one of my best holiday memories.
Tuscan olive grove girl
This looks like my perfect cake for anytime of day…yum.
Shaina
Breakfast + cake. Let’s just stop right there and start eating.
jcorbs
anyone have predictions on how this might work with almond flour subbed in for a gluten-free version?
ER
I made this cake today. It was good and easy. Like the other commentator, mine took 40-45 minutes to bake, and I had to turn down the oven partly through to make sure that the top didn’t burn. The cake was also really thick, and it needed a fruit topping after it was served in order to add some interest. I wonder if the author’s skillet pan is actually 13 inches?
I used figs on one half of the cake and peaches on the other half, and the figs turned out slightly better. The peaches tended to dry out after that much time in the oven. Peaches made for a great topping, though.
Kathryn
I made this over Labor Day weekend for a lazy Sunday morning brunch. It was amazing! Figs don’t grow down here in S. Florida, but this time of year I make as many things as possible with fresh figs when they’re available in season from CA. This is not my first recipe from your blog that I made, but it is the first that I shared with others. After your Honeycomb Candy (aka Sponge Candy) post I was hooked as everytime I bake my husband clears out of the kitchen and pretends not to hear me when I yell that whatever I’m making is a complete disaster. I love reading your posts! Thanks.
anisha
Just made this cake yesterday for a brunch and got stellar reviews! And it was a pretty fast/easy recipe to follow for a novice baker. My modifications — I doubled the cardamom, used a little more buttermilk to rectify some dry-looking batter, used less sugar for topping, and had to bake it for closer to 40-45 minutes. Next time, I think I’ll add more figs to the middle of the cake. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Anisha
The third time around, I swapped out the last half cup of flour for almond flour (ie raw, unbleached sliced almonds put through a cycle in my coffee grinder). I also sliced the figs into thinner rounds to have 2 layers of figs. Definitely the best it’s turned out so far — moist and flavorful!
Becca
I have a 14 or 15 inch skillet. Do you think I could just do 1.5 x the recipe and it would work?
Laurene
Hi Joy! I made this delicious cake, but the center refuses to cook through so it’s a little “battery” in the middle. I don’t want the outside to be dry. Any tips or issues. Thanks!
Alanna {The Bojon Gourmet}
OMG, I want that! I can’t even fathom how awesome this cake is, with cardamom and almonds and figs and baked in a skillet. Yum!!!
Lori
beautiful cake! question though, did you really only bake it for 25 minutes?? mine came out super goopy in the center… halp!
joythebaker
bake it for longer! every oven is different.
Laura
My attempt at this cake is currently in the oven, and I can’t wait to dig in, but I guess I’ll have to since raw scalding hot cake would be not yummy. I used figs from my backyard tree and the buttermilk I had leftover from making that lovely sweet berry lime cake (that I may or may not have eaten all by myself).
Thanks for providing all the great recipes!
Kristina
Yum! I tweaked this a little bit because I am 762 months pregnant and I knew what “the baby” wanted. I added a few tablespoons of extra sugar to the batter, because I wanted it a little sweeter and then added just a splash more vanilla and sprinkle more cardamom. I ate it for dinner last night and for breakfast this morning, “the baby” thinks it was delicious and will likely eat it for lunch too.
Luv What You Do
I’d love a slice of this for breakfast tomorrow!
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
What a dreamy cake for a dreamy morning. Beautiful.
bakergirl21
What do you think about doing this cake with mangoes?
Abbie @ Needs Salt
This cake looks so good! I love the idea of baking it in a cast iron skillet. So homey. <3 pinned!
Andrew
That looks absolutely delicious and I haven’t had figs in forever. I think I need to go buy some figs!
Heather {A Fire Pole in the Dining Room}
I seriously want to climb through the interwebs into your kitchen and eat everything you make.
Diana
In times likes these is when I wish I was back in Portugal and could easily pick figs from my grandfather’s orchard anytime I’m craving my favorite fruit. This cake looks like my best friend!
Amy
I was so excited to try this with my figs from my CSA box. Unfortunately, it did not turn out well at all. For one thing, it wouldn’t bake through. It was in the oven for more than an hour and still wasn’t completely baked in the middle. I think there was so much moisture from the figs that it impacted the batter. Also, the amount of sugar called for to sprinkle on top is way too much. It creates a solid caking of sugar crust, perhaps another reason it didn’t bake properly? The cake itself isn’t quite sweet enough for me. It’s more mealy, like a pancake, than sweet like a cake, even a breakfast cake. I’m afraid that this is one for the trashcan for me. :-(
joythebaker
it sounds like you had the exact opposite cake experience.
Jen
Well it’s 10:30 pm and I just popped it in the oven! Breakfast will be waiting and ready! Super easy to make – thought I had almonds in the cupboard – thought wrong – added more figs in a flower shape. Thanks for the post Joy!
Jamie@Milk N Cookies
I’m on a quest to track down fresh figs so I can try this — it looks fantastic, especially with the almonds. And I love the suggestion of using melted butter. Like you said, so handy for mornings or for weeknight desserts when you just don’t want to deal with the extra appliances or bowls.
Melanie @ Just Some Salt and Pepper
Cake for breakfast?? Love it
Amy
Cake! In a skillet! For BREAKfast!! Only one question — any way to put wheat flour in there? Or cornmeal? Anything to make me feel just a teensy bit fuller for longer?
Rupi D
I was also wondering this- if a combo of almond flour/whole wheat flour would work and what would need to be changed if doing it this way?
Jen
Brilliant!
Rocky Mountain Woman
breakfast cake – that’s just one of the reasons l love you so much…
Erica Lea
Now this sounds like my kind of cake! If only I had known about it when my sister and I doled out six bucks for a small basket of figs. Ah well, maybe I’ll try it with peaches as you suggested (or shell out another six bucks for more figs). That’s pretty smart to butter and flour the skillet – I never would have thought of that. :)
Nickie Gorsky
Put that cell phone in a bowl of uncooked rice; I mean BURY it. Let it sit over night and it should be good to go. Unless you were just waiting for it to die so you could get an upgrade ;).
I will make this yummers of a cake as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh figs…
Breakfast cake? I am all over it!!! THANKS!
Nicole
Love these breakfast fruit cakes! I’ve made strawberry and peach before and will have to try this heavenly looking fig one soon! Thanks, Joy!
Taylor
My goodness, awesome. Definitely thinking cherries! It is completely gorgeous by the by :]. .. oh and phone death by toilet. Been there. .it sucks. A lot. Sorry.
Teffy
oh wow. that looks like my dream breakfast cake. Would totally have a pillow made out of it.
Also, where did you get your skillet? I NEED to get myself one but I’m not sure where is best to get a good quality skillet.
Teffy { Teffys Perks Blog }
Xx
Paleo recipes
great pictures . I really like it
Becs @ Lay the table
I love anything that gives me a valid excuse to eat cake for breakfast!
Alana - Paper Planes
I wish I had seen this sooner – just got back to Thailand for a while…and O OVEN
ATasteOfMadness
I’m not really a fan of figs, but this cake looks fantastic! I would love to try this
Karina
If I wanted to use a muffin tin for this to get individual cakes,would it work? Should I only check time or also temp?
Mallory
Whenever you combine the words “breakfast” and “cake” you’ve got my attention!
Heidi - Apples Under My Bed
A ground cardamom adorned cake is always a good thing in my books. & oh man, no I HADN’T thought of edible pillows before but now I can’t stop. You are SO on the money with chocolate chip brioche. I do, however, often think of cake facials. You want something not too spikey to plant your face into…lemon meringue pie would be ideal.
Heidi xo
Alice Crelley
OH my, this looks delicious! I’m going to go to bed dreaming of this tonight…and want to eat it in the morning, although I have no fresh figs in the house :-( Am going shopping tommorrow for some for sure!) Just wondering, would natural yogurt work ok instead of buttermilk? I only ask because I always have it in the house, as I use it in place of buttermilk when making sodabread….
joythebaker
yogurt with a bit of water is a great substitution for buttermilk!
Camille
I love the way you think. I love the way you write. I love the way you cook.
toni
This looks delicious.!I happen to have a huge container of figs on my counter. Now, I just bacon-birthday on Friday (bacon ice cream with candied bacon and bacon caramel, bacon jam, and bacon wrapped figs) but this isn’t really too bad for me. Is it? I mean, figs are totally heart healthy..
Julia @ Basket of Juls
fig and cardamom combo sounds incredible. you’re photos are also just so beautiful!
Naomi
This looks so delicious. Could I sub plain yogurt for the buttermilk?
joythebaker
you can!
Laurel
Excited for this! Never enjoyed fresh figs until this year and I’m loving attempting different recipes with them. This looks absolutely delicious!!
Andj
Almonds and figs and cardamom and melted butter…oh my goodness. This looks ridiculously good.
Marissa
This looks delicious! Does anyone know where I can buy fresh figs in Boston? They don’t have them in my grocery store.
toni
Where are you located? Here in Cali they’re freely available. Try Whole foods. When I was in NY, I could find them in late summer at coops and natural food markets. If you cant find them, I’d still give the recipe a go with some sort of stone fruit (I think peaches would be great here) The figs make for a beautiful presentation but the cardamom and almonds would go so well with so many things!
Becca from Cookie Jar Treats
This looks really amazing! I love this idea and I want to make it so bad. I had a few fig newtons yesterday and I forgot how much I loved them! So if the filling does justice to actual figs, then I can’t wait to eat this :)
Caz
This is my kind of breakfast. Love figs, love almonds and I love breakfast – I’ve got to try this.
Irena
This looks heavenly! Wish I could taste it x
Heather
Just scavenged figs from my neighborhood on an early morning walk, saw your post went out grabbed more and made this cake. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow. It looks and smells delish.
sara
Gorgeous! This cake looks so delicious…love those figs!
Cassie
Oh my god. -yes-
yes this is perfect.
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com
Love this – what a delightful combo!
Abigail
Just took this out of the oven and so excited to try it! Only comment is that I had to add at least 10 extra minutes to my cake. Looks super tasty. :)
Hannah
YUM!!!!
Miss Kim @ behgopa
Yum. Since I am not a morning person, I’d so love to have something like this….well any time other than mornings! You had my attention at the mention of coffee! I am such a coffee junkie it’s not even funny. I tried to quit a couple of times. I did well for some time, fell off the wagon, then got right back to the addiction. It’s terrible. Something like this would probably feel incomplete without a cup or two of coffee!
Trudy
Oh my breakfast never looks this good! How wonderful and delicious it looks and no doubt tastes!
Ash-foodfashionparty
Ommyy, this cake looks so ridiculously good, tempted to rush and bake it now, but I am sitting in the bart and staring at the recipe….pinned it instead, will get to it the moment I reach my kitchen.
Living The Sweet Life
Cake for breakfast – YES! Peaches added – -ohhh YESS!!
Jillian@TheHumbleGourmet
Okay, I want this now. In my belly.
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist
Figs and cardamom are just a beautiful combo. I’d cry if I dropped my phone in the toilet too, so breakfast cake and coffee are a must. I understand.
Annie
hey Joy – question for you. Whenever I make cakes with melted butter like this, the butter always seizes up and gets chunky when I add it to the other wet ingredients. Why? Do I need to wait longer for the melted butter to cool before adding it? Is there another trick I’m missing?
Kim P
This looks great. I must say I made your Blueberry Orange Pancakes for a crowd of college kids! YUM! Thumbs up all around!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
I absolutely love that there are fresh figs in these! I have been looking at all of my local grocery stores for them and can’t not find. Still looking though!
Eileen
Oh my. I love fresh figs more than any other fruit, so I think I’m going to have to get my hands on some of this cake immediately! NOM.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
yes please to cake for breakfast!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou
This cake is gorgeous! I love that it is cooked in a cast iron skillet – so rustic and pretty. And I’m so sorry about your phone :(
Kelsey McGinley
Oh Joy! Your work is always so inspired. I am finding it hard to get inspired in the kitchen lately… Lots of delicious cookies and cocktails but nothing awe inspiring! How do you get inspired everyday? Is biking in Venice my best bet? Thanks lady!
petal and plume
this looks overwhelmingly delicious and perfect!
xx
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Those figs! Swoon!!
Lena
This reminds me somewhat of your roasted fig oatmeal. I often make baked oatmeal; I bet you could pop that in a skillet and it would turn out nice and pillowy too!
allie@sweetpotatobites
breakfast cake? love this!
Brian @ A Thought For Food
Hell yes! This I would totally have for breakfast. And, yeah, baking it in a skillet totally makes it a morning treat.
shelly @ ohshellsbells
Sad I will have to wait for the weekend to come around again to make this for breakfast… Oh Monday, you are killing me.
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)
Love it–always looking for a great breakfast cake and I can imagine this being fabulous with a big brunch with friends and family.
Tracy | Pale Yellow
I’m always in for cake for breakfast. I’ve never worked with fresh figs before, this maybe the golden opportunity!
Pedantic Foodie
I wait all year for my fig tree to start bearing fruit and it’s almost time. Can’t wait to make this!
Amy /// The Anxious Hippie
This looks so good it’s unreal! RIP cell phone :(
kitchen afternoon
Great way to start the day! Figs are so volupt! I am making drunken peaches tomorrow at friend’s farm.
Tieghan
What a gorgeous and delicious breakfast!
DessertForTwo
I practically require breakfast goods not be made with softened butter because I’m hungry when I wake up! This cake is perfect for the weekend! xo
Vickie
wow, I want some please! I love fresh figs, can’t wait until they appear at the market again :)
Quinn Cooper
Stop it right now. This looks insane. Pairing two of my favorite food together almonds and figs. NEED to make this asap.
xo Quinn
Quinn Cooper Style
Christina @ Scaredy Cat Kitchen
What a beautiful cake! Aren’t figs just the prettiest? The perfect breakfast.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Dang, wish I had this for breakfast!!
Noreen
Hi Joy…do you ever have issues with the cake bottom being too dark because of iron skillet? Thanks. This looks ridiculous!
Sandi
Yum- this looks yummy!!!!
Samantha
This looks delicious. The only problem is that if I make it there’s no way it’s lasting 3 days in a fridge lol.
joythebaker
totally. i understand you.
Sarah
Cake for breakfast means a good dang day.
In a Trendy Town
Woooow this cake looks great! We are hungry!!!
http://inatrendytown.blogspot.com.es/
Ashley
Well this puts my pathetic cherry pop tart to shame. Makes me want to leave work and go back home to bake breakfast.
joythebaker
cherry pop tarts totally have their place in the world.
Carol Anne @ Rock Salt
Breakfast cake. Yep. I’m in. Love the cardamom in there, especially – inspired flavour combo. Thanks!
Khadijah
This cake looks AMAZING but it’s really difficult to get fresh figs where I live overseas. Do you suggest any other types of fruit, and would you change the spices if using a different fruit? Thanks!!
Jayne
I can pretty much smell how fragrant this is. Figs are one of the prettiest fruit in the world. And yes, I think of edible pillows almost every day.
Jennie
I didn’t even need to read the recipe to love this. I was sold at the concept of breakfast cake. Figs and almonds sound delightfully breakfasty! No more breakfast indecision, I can eat cake everyday, right?
Nelly Ritchie
Breakfast cake sound so good right about now.
On a completely unrelated note you were totally in my dream last night! You were doing a book signing in Newcastle (England) in a furniture shop (?!) and I happened to be shopping for bedside tables.
You shouted my name across the shop and told me how much you loved my blog! Ha!
Rather random but lovely all the same.
Have a lovely day! :) x
Belinda @themoonblushbaker
melted butter is the best way ( in my opinion) of getting a tight but fluffy crumb to cake. The topping is so versatile too! I could think of all the combs that could top this from the trashy to the sophisticated.
Sophie @ The Spotty Teapot
Oh my god, I’ve just woken up to this, and now I’m hungry, but I can’t make this cake yet because I’m on a stupid diet! Why do I torture myself by looking at your food?
X
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I love using melted butter (or oil) in cakes and recipes whenever possible rather than creaming. Not having to wash a big mixer bowl and attachment is time and sanity saver. Just one less step on the road to eating cake, and it’s appreciate. Gorgeous job on the cake!
Emma @ Coriander and Cumin
This looks delicious! I’m in France at the moment and have lots of fresh figs so this will be perfect. Only problem is I don’t think I can get hold of any buttermilk, do you know what could I use instead?
joythebaker
you could use yogurt diluted down with a bit of water. Happy Baking!