Indulge in the warm, cosy flavours of autumn with this honey cake filled with mascarpone cream and topped with honey-baked figs. With a beautiful hue, this simple yet elegant cake features a delicate sweetness from the golden honey, perfectly balanced by the natural richness of mascarpone and the caramelised figs. Whether you’re looking for a special dessert or a slice of comfort, this honey and fig cake is like a warm embrace – ideal for autumn gatherings or afternoon treats.
Disclaimer: This recipe was developed in collaboration with Kenwood UK, however all opinions are my own.
Lou’s recipe overview
SKILL: Beginner
TASTE: Subtle sweetness, creamy mascarpone and jammy roasted figs
PROS: Elegant showstopper but surprisingly simple to make!
CONS: Resisting the urge to eat the roasted figs before decorating the cake!
Autumn is in the air, and so is the sweet smell of baking! Can you believe it’s time for The Great British Bake to hit our screen again? There’s something undeniably magical about the return of Bake Off—it’s like welcoming an old friend back into your life.
For me, it signals the start of cosy evenings spent in the kitchen, creating bakes that warm both the heart and home. And this honey cake, filled with creamy mascarpone and topped with roasted figs, feels like the perfect nod to the season and the return of our beloved show.
Baking with honey always reminds me of those rustic, comforting flavours that make autumn so special. And with the air getting crisper, there’s no better time to bake a cake that combines seasonal ingredients with a touch of indulgence. So, let’s get our aprons on and recreate some of that Bake Off magic at home!
Why you should make this honey cake
If you’re looking for something that tastes as good as it looks, then I know you will love this honey cake with baked figs. But let me also tell you about how it is…
- Perfect for Autumn: With the honey’s delicate sweetness, rich mascarpone cream, and roasted figs, this cake embodies the flavours of autumn—ideal for cosy gatherings or special occasions.
- Showstopper Appeal: It looks stunning and sophisticated, yet it’s super easy to make. Impress your family and friends with a dessert that feels like a luxurious treat without the fuss.
- Naturally Sweetened: By using honey instead of refined sugar, it not only adds a beautiful delicate flavour but it also gives the cake extra moisture, making each bite irresistibly soft and delicious.
Ingredients
Check out my shopping list for ingredients and equipment
I utterly love the super simplicity of this cake; the runny honey brings a whole different sweetness to regular caster sugar, that works perfectly with the figs. While the mascarpone cream balances everything making it a fabulous cake to celebrate the end of summer. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it…
- Runny Honey – When using your honey, go for a regular, light-coloured honey as it has a milder flavour that won’t overpower the cake. Avoid strongly flavoured honeys like manuka as their distinct flavours can dominate, and they’re also more expensive.
- Self-Raising Flour – I use self-raising flour as it has raising ingredients already added, so I can reduce the amount of extra baking powder I add to the recipe. If you can’t get self-raising flour, swap for plain flour or all-purpose flour, and increase the baking powder quantity. A general rule is 1 teaspoon of baking powder to 100g plain flour.
- Salted Butter – I prefer to use a salted butter; as it helps to bring out the creaminess of the butter, giving your cake that extra rich taste. You can also use unsalted butter, I recommend adding ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt to the recipe if you do.
- Free-Range Eggs – Remember if you keep your eggs in the fridge, let them come up to room temperature before using them. Take them out of the fridge about 15-30 minutes before you’re ready to start baking
- Fresh Figs – When choosing your figs, pick figs that are ripe, a little soft to the touch but still hold their shape. If they’re too soft, they may fall apart during baking
- Double Cream or Heavy Cream
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Icing Sugar
- Fine Sea Salt
CONVERT TO CUPS: There is a cup conversion option in the recipe card to convert the ingredients. This is automatic and I can’t guarantee the accuracy. For best baking results, I recommend using digital scales and weighing the ingredients.
Equipment you will need
When you’ve got your ingredients all together, you’ll need a few things to make the cake with. This is what I use…
- Kenwood Chef Titanium
- 8-inch cake pan or 8-inch sandwich tins – As the cake is 2 layers, use either a pair of sandwich tins, or I bake as one layer in a single cake pan and slice in half when baked and cooled. I swear by Masterclass tins, they’re heavy duty, last for ages and give a perfect bake. I’ve had mine for over 15 years!
- Large mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Baking Parchment
- Angled Palette Knife – One of my essential pieces of equipment
- Large Saucepan
Recommended equipment
How to make honey cake with baked figs
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card
There are three easy steps to making this beautiful cake – the sponge layers, the baked figs and the mascarpone cream. Then all you need to do is bake, ice and decorate. Trust me, it’s easy. Here’s how you’re going to do it…
The cake layers
- Whisk the runny honey and butter – In a large mixing bowl add the honey and butter and whisk together for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is pale and creamy. Alternatively use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add the eggs – Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat again again until everything is well-combined. The mixture should be thick and frothy.
- Sift together the dry ingredients and fold in – Sift the flour, baking powder and salt (if using) and carefully fold into the cake batter using a spatula. The batter should be smooth, with no pockets of flour.
When the cake batter is ready, grease and line two 8-inch round sandwich tins. Pour equal amount of the cake batter into each tin, then bake for 20-25 minutes until well risen or lightly golden, and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to completely cool.
Baking the figs
While the cake layers are cooling, halve the figs and place cut-side up, on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Drizzle the honey all over the figs, then roast in the oven for 15 minutes until soft. Allow them to cool before decorating the cake.
TOP TIP: Get the figs ready to go in the oven as soon as the cakes come out; no need to adjust the temperature. When baked they should be soft, juicy and slightly caramelised. Don’t over bake them, as they will go mushy.
The mascarpone cream
- Whisk the cream and mascarpone – In a large mixing bowl add the double cream and mascarpone cheese, then whisk together until the cream is a thick peak consistency but easily spreadable.
- Assemble the cake – When the cake layers are cool, place the bottom layer on a cake stand and spread a thick layer of the whipped mascarpone cream on top. Place the next cake layer on top and add more whipped mascarpone cream and smooth off.
- Decorate the cake – Place the cooled roasted figs on top of the cake and give a final drizzle of honey, before cutting yourself a big slice and settling down to enjoy!
TOP TIP: Whip the mascarpone and cream slowly at first to incorporate air gradually, then increase the speed to medium-high as it thickens. This helps to avoid over-whipping, which can cause the mixture to become grainy or curdle.
FAQs
The cake is best made in a 8-inch sandwich tins or an 8-inch cake pan. If you want deeper cake layers, you can swap for a 7-inch version.
I prefer to bake the layers individually, but if you only have a single cake pan, you can bake as one cake and split into two layers; just remember that you will need to adjust your bake times. You can find out more in my chocolate fudge cake recipe.
As the cake is layered with mascarpone cream, you will need to keep the cake chilled in the fridge. I recommend covering the cake with foil or cling film when storing in the fridge to prevent it drying out or absorbing any smells from anything else you in the fridge.
Due to the mascarpone cream and the figs, the honey cake will keep for up to 3 days when stored correctly, and is best eaten within 2 days.
You can also freeze the cake, either with or without the cream filling and the baked figs for up to 2 months. Make sure it is well wrapped and in an air-tight containers to avoid freezer burn. Remember to fully defrost the cake at room temperature before serving.
You certainly can do! I love the lightness and the slight tang of the mascarpone cream with the cake and figs. But if you want to use buttercream instead, this cream cheese frosting makes a great alternative.
More easy cake recipes to try
If you liked this honey cake with baked figs recipe here are some other recipes that I think you’d enjoy…
Honey and Baked Fig Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 225 g Salted Butter Softened
- 200 g Runny Honey
- 4 Eggs Free-Range, Medium
- 250 g Self-Raising Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
For the Baked Figs
- 4-6 Fresh Figs Ripened
- 2 tbsp Runny Honey
For the Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 200 g Mascarpone Cheese
- 300 ml Double Cream
- Runny Honey To drizzle
Instructions
- To make the cake layers: Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line two 8-inch round sandwich tins with baking parchment. Alternatively, coat the pan with homemade cake release.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the salted butter and runny honey. Mix everything together with a hand held mixer until well combined and the mixture is pale and creamy. Alternatively use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.225 g Salted Butter, 200 g Runny Honey
- Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture. Whisk well between adding each egg.4 Eggs
- Sift the flour and baking powder together, then add to the mixture. Gently fold together until the cake batter is soft and smooth.250 g Self-Raising Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder
- Pour the cake batter into the lined sandwich tins, making sure the cake batter is evenly distributed. Level off with an angled palette knife.
- Bake the cake layers for 20-25 minutes until springy to touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the baked figs: While the cakes are cooling, halve the figs and place on a baking tray, lined with baking parchment and drizzle with honey.4-6 Fresh Figs, 2 tbsp Runny Honey
- Roast in the oven for 15 minutes until soft. Allow them to cool before decorating the cake.
- To make the mascarpone cream filling: Add the double cream and mascarpone into a large bowl. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, until the cream starts to thicken up but is still smooth enough to spread. Be careful not to over-whip as the cream will become grainy.200 g Mascarpone Cheese, 300 ml Double Cream
- To assemble the cake: If you want to level your cake layers, use a large serrated knife, and level the top of each layer. Take the first cake layer and place on a serving plate or cake board.
- Using a palette knife, spread an even and generous layer of mascarpone cream over the top of the cake layer, taking it to the outer edge.
- Place the next cake layer on top of the mascarpone cream and gently press down to fix the layers together. Do not press too far otherwise you will squeeze the cream out the slides of the cake.
- Spoon the remaining mascarpone cream on top of the top cake layer, then using a palette knife, spread the cream evenly across the cake. You can add swirls with the palette knife for texture if you prefer.
- Arrange the cooled baked figs on top of the cakes and finish with a drizzle of runny honey.Runny Honey
Notes
Nutrition
DISCLAIMER
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
