Fig Upside-Down Cake with Brown Butter & Rye

Brown butter, nutty rye flour, a heap of cinnamon and sticky-sweet figs, need I say more? That’s what this upside-down fig cake promises, plus more. When I say “plus more” I mean it also promises to stay easy, because outside of the browning of the butter, this batter happens all in one bowl. Wipe out the brown butter pan to quickly candle some figs, and your loaf is ready to assemble.

Oustide of it being easy and perfect for fall, this delectable baked loaf also has so much going for it in the flavor department. Let me bullet it out, in the hopes that if you’ve stumbled up this blog post, you’ll now be convinced to make it!

• Rich rye flour builds the base of this recipe – and don’t think of it like rye bread! What it gives this loaf is a hearty, rich flavor that is slightly nutty and earthy, and makes bite after sweet bite an absolute dream. It also makes this loaf feel remarkably breakfast-y, but you can also make it dessert.
• Brown butter sells itself at this point, but the way it plays off of the rye flour is remarkable. Nutty on nutty notes, plus the sticky from the figs, makes the perfect loaf.
• Sticky figs are candied in sugar, but with a hit of red wine vinegar to help them keep their flavor and color. It’s a quick trick, but it make the most beautiful fig loaf.

Three very simple additions to the recipe, but they are three ingredients that make it so special. If you are looking for a cozy fall bake that you can slather with butter in the morning or serve with tea at night, this Fig Upside-Down Cake with Cinnamon & Rye is for you.

Lets talk about rye flour in sweet baking

Rye flour is one of my favorite additions to baked goods. It’s actually criminal I haven’t made more cookies with rye in them, but I’m working on it! That will be my fall agenda.

Rye, or more specifically, dark rye flour, is a nutty, earthy kind of flour. It baked a bit more gritty than all-purpose flour, but it gives it a hearty, rich flavor. Kind of like eating your favorite Morning Glory muffin, it just makes something feel hearty and healthy. If you are looking to introduce rye into your baking, I suggest starting by swapping it for half of the all-purpose flour you’re using. You’ll some of the rye flavor, as well as see how it affects the texture in your baked good. I use 100% rye flour in this, which means that the cake will have a denser texture, but I love it to offset the stickiness of the figs. It makes this loaf cake perfect for toasting up for breakfast, or warming up to serve with ice cream for dessert.

If you don’t know where to get rye flour, I recommend getting some from Bob’s Red Mill. It’s high quality, and available in a lot of grocery stores nationwide!

How do the figs keep their color in this recipe?

I’ve found baking with figs to be kind of sad and lackluster – they just come out so brown. When making this recipe, I wanted to make sure the figs kept their gorgeous brightness, or at least something close to it!

I was able to make these beautiful figs on this fig upside-down cake by using a few hacks. The first, I use California figs, which have a green exterior when they are a touch underripe, so if you find those at the grocer, know they will be bright pink and perfect for this fig loaf.

The second is that I candy the figs with just a touch of vinegar. Call me crazy, but I feel like the acid helps prevent the figs from melting into too-brown oblivion!

How to prepare this upside-down fig loaf cake

This cake uses one pan, one bow, and one loaf tin. And it might feel like a lot, but it’s a very streamlined process! Here’s all you need to start the batter, assemble the candied figs, and bring it all together:

• Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
• Brown the butter. Do this by placing a small pan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it fully melt. Let it fizz and foam, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the milk solids from the butter separate and start to brown at the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the butter is a deep, dark brown. Swirl and pour into a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.
• Add the milk to the butter and whisk to cool it. Add in the eggs and yogurt and mix well. Add the sugars and vanilla and mix again.
• Add in the rye flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix, first with your whisk, then smooth out with a spatula. This batter will be very, very thick, but don’t mind it.
• Use the wiped out pan to candy the figs.
• Add the sugar and water to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half and turned into a syrup, 8 to 12 minutes. Add the vinegar and swirl.
• Add in the figs, then turn off the heat. Give the pan a few swirls to coat them in the syrup.
• Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf tin with parchment paper. Layer the fig slices at the bottom, positioning the prettiest parts so that they are facing down and flush against the parchment.
• Scoop the rye batter on top and smooth it out.
• Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
• Let the loaf completely cool in the pan, then transfer to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice off the top, leaving you a flat surface to flip the loaf onto. Don’t worry, we don’t waste the scraps – I toast them and eat them like tiny biscottis.
• Flip the loaf so that the parchment-covered figs are facing up. Gently pull off the parchment, revealing the shiny, shimmery figs.
• Slice and serve!

FAQ

Looking for similar recipes?

Here are a few other fruity bakes I’ve been loving lately:

Why is this recipe in grams?

Baking is a very finicky and exact science. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, and not volume. As much as I wish I could give you multiple ways to measure ingredients, in this recipe measuring by cups might cause some volatility and miss-matched results. I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe fool-proof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this particular recipe!

Plus, it saves dishes – get a small scale and live life in the fast lane 🙂

And that’s everything for this Fig Uside-Down Cake!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Watch the recipe here

The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.