Honey and Fig Fruit Loaf with Pecan Nuts

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This wonderful soft and moist cake is lightly sweetened with honey and loaded with figs, sultanas and pecan nuts. This cake is very versatile: slice it thinly and serve it as an accompaniment to a cheeseboard – it works well with salty cheese, soft, creamy cheese, as well as some stinky blue cheese. Alternatively, it is quite perfect served simply sliced, but is also delicious spread with your favourite butter. I like a nice salted butter, but nut butters and goat’s butter are fabulous too. This versatile cake is definitely a great cake to have around during the festive season, plus it is also ideal for a packed lunch or picnic.

Store in an airtight container and this cake will last extremely well for up to a week. If you are making it ahead of time, I advise wrapping it in cling film as well, to further ensure its freshness. Should you have any left when it is past its best, toast it!

Where is this recipe from?

This recipe is based on my Grandmother’s Tea Loaf recipe. I have simply reduced and replaced the sugar with honey, used figs and sultanas/raisins rather than mixed dried fruit, omitted any spices and included some pecan nuts.

How can I make this cake vegan?

Rather fortuitously, my grandmother’s original recipe needs no butter. To make the cake vegan, you just need to:

• replace the egg with a vegan alternative, I like ground flax seed. Simply mix 1 tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons luke-warm water, set aside to thicken for 5 minutes and then add to the batter, instead of an egg.
• replace the honey with maple syrup or sugar.

This is a photograph of my Vegan Tea Loaf with Chai Spice and Walnuts. You really cannot tell the difference between a vegan and non-vegan cake when using this recipe.

How to make Honey and Fig Fruit Loaf with Pecan Nuts

Collect all your ingredients together:

• tea – I use English Breakfast.
• dried figs, stem removed and chopped
• raisins or sultanas
• runny honey – or replace with maple syrup or sugar
• pecan nuts, divided
• egg or flax egg
• plain/all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• fine salt

How to make this fabulous loaf:

1. Either –
   • – the night before you make the cake: pour 300ml boiling water over the tea bag in a jug, allow to infuse for a few minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the figs and measure directly into a mixing bowl with the raisins/sultanas. Pour the tea and runny honey over the fruit and stir well. Cover and leave until the following day, until you are ready to make the cake. OR
   • – one hour before you make the cake: pour 300ml boiling water over the tea bag in a jug, allow to infuse for a few minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the figs and measure directly into a saucepan with the raisins. Pour the tea over the fruit. Bring to a simmer, cook for 1 minute, add the runny honey, stir and leave to cool for 1 hour before making the cake.
2. Make the cake: chop the pecan nuts and set 20g of the nuts aside to sprinkle over the top of the cake(s)
3. Remove the tea bag and then add all the remaining ingredients to the fruit and the tea – flour, 50g chopped pecans, baking powder, salt and the egg.
4. Stir well to ensure it is all thoroughly mixed, but do not over mix.
5. Transfer to a lined 900g/2lb loaf tin, or 2 x 450g/1lb loaf tins, level the surface and top with remaining chopped pecan nuts
6. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 1 hour – 1 hour and 15 minutes.
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
8. To serve, slice thinly and serve with cheese. Also, delicious served as is or with your favourite butter.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.