Cinnamon fig coffee cake is one of those wonderful winter dishes that is warm and cozy and can be eaten as a dessert or for breakfast or just because you want something sweet with a hot apple cider. There’s something deeply comforting about it—especially as it fills the kitchen with cinnamon and cardamom and begs to be sliced while the coffee’s still hot. This one came together the way so many of my favorite recipes do: thoughtfully, intuitively, and with a few gentle adjustments along the way.
I started with a cinnamon-fig dessert in mind—oil-free, lightly sweet, and nourishing enough to feel good about serving for breakfast. But once I reached for my Turkish figs (plump, jammy, and naturally sweet — I mean they taste exactly like fig newtons!), the recipe leaned into something even cozier. It’s a snacking cake, finished with a hearty oat-almond crumble that feels right at home on a slow Southern morning.
This is the kind of bake that doesn’t need frosting or fuss. Just a mug, a plate, and a quiet moment.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally sweetened with Turkish figs and maple syrup
- Oil-free and plant-based, but still tender and satisfying
- Warmly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom
- A rustic oat-almond crumble that turns it into a true coffee cake moment
Cost & Nutritional Comparison
When you compare this homemade Cinnamon Fig Cake to what you might pick up at a local coffee shop or in a grocery bakery case, the differences are striking.
- A coffee shop banana walnut loaf slice clocks in around 400–420 calories with high fat and sugar content, while this fig-studded cake sits around 240 calories per slice, with more fiber and quality plant ingredients.
- And from a cost perspective? Where coffee shops might charge $5+ per slice, this loaf costs closer to $1 or less per slice when you bake it at home. Win! Win!
Pro Tip: Trust the Batter, Not the Bowl
Oil-free batters, especially ones made with almond flour, oats, and juicy Turkish figs, often look looser than traditional cake batter. That’s normal and why we add oat flour one tablespoon at a time.
Final Thoughts 🌻
This isn’t a showy dessert. It’s a real-life cake. The kind you make when you want something comforting, wholesome, and quietly special. It’s perfect for breakfast, coffee breaks, or slicing up and sharing with someone you love.
If you’re used to coffee-shop banana bread that comes in near 400 calories a slice, this one proves you can keep the cozy and lose the crash.
Cinnamon Fig Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch round pan (or loaf pan if you have one) with parchment.
- Whisk together soy milk and buttermilk set aside to thicken (curdle).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy buttermilk, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla, almond extract, and extra tablespoon of soy milk.
- Gently fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined.
- Fold in chopped figs and sliced almonds.
- If the batter feels loose or pourable like pancake batter, let it sit for a minute or two so the oat flour can soak up the ingredients.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Arrange sliced figs on top, pressing lightly into the batter. This is optional. You can also press them on top as a garnish once it's done baking.
- Mix crumble ingredients until clumpy. Sprinkle evenly around and between fig slices.
- Lightly drizzle 1–2 tablespoons soy milk or water over the topping to hydrate the oats.
- Bake at 350°F:
- 8-inch round: 45–50 minutes
- 9-inch round: 38–45 minutes
- Tent loosely with foil after 25–30 minutes if the top browns quickly.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- Let cool at least 30–40 minutes before slicing.