Fig and Hazelnut Tea Cake with Orange Glaze
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Combining culinary influences from England, Germany and Italy, this tea cake features figs, hazelnuts, orange, and anise for a beautiful Old World flavor. Wonderfully fragrant and a pure delight for the taste buds, this Fig and Hazelnut Tea Cake with Orange Glaze is unique and memorable and is sure to become a favorite!
This cake combines some influences of England, Germany and Italy. Dense cakes like this make the perfect accompaniment for afternoon tea, a long-held English tradition. The hazelnuts and anise are popular baking ingredients in Germany and Italy and their aroma brings back many fond memories for me. Being from Germany, having lived several years in England, and cherishing my adventures in Italy, this cake embodies the best of three worlds. It has fabulous Old World flavor and an incredible fragrance that will fill your kitchen and home as it bakes.
This cake has a great texture that is punctuated by chewy figs and crunchy hazelnuts and laced with a wonderful orange flavor from the zest and glaze. Your kitchen will smell heavenly while it’s baking!
Bake a loaf of this delicious cake, brew up some tea, and enjoy a nice visit with some friends!
Fig and Hazelnut Tea Cake with Orange Glaze Recipe
Let’s get started!
Quick note about anise: This cake uses ground anise seed or anise extract, NOT star anise. They are two very different spices.
First toast the hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the hazelnuts in one layer on a baking sheet. Place it on the middle rack and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered.
Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and let them steam 1 minute. Then rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins (don’t worry if they don’t all come off). Let them cool completely.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and ground anise (unless using extract – add it to the wet ingredients) into a large bowl.
Add the toasted hazelnuts and the chopped figs and stir to coat.
In another large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy.
Add the sugar and continue to beat another 4-5 minutes until fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the orange zest and the anise extract if you aren’t using ground anise.
Stir in the flour/fig/hazelnut mixture until combined. The dough will be very stiff.
Butter and flour a 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 loaf pan. Spoon the dough into the prepared loaf pan.
In the oven preheated to 350 degrees F, bake on the middle rack for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cake is cooled, make the orange glaze:
In a medium bowl, microwave (or use a saucepan over the stovetop) the butter and orange juice together until the butter is melted.
Remove and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and whisk vigorously until smooth and thickened.
The icing will firm up quickly so use it within 5 minutes. If it does thicken simply reheat it for a few minutes.
Drizzle the hot glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to run down the sides, and let it stand for about 1 hour until the glaze is set.
Slice and serve immediately. This cake is best the eaten the first day but will keep for up to 3 days. To prevent the cake from drying out, wrap it and then store it in an airtight cake tin.
Enjoy!
For more teatime favorites be sure to try our:
- French Almond Plum Cake
- Dundee Cake
- Welsh Cakes
- Cherry Marzipan Streusel Cake
- Pineapple Cake with Marzipan
- Rhubarb Streusel Cake
- German Plum Cake
- German Apple Cake
- Gugelhupf
- Barmbrack
- Bara Brith
- Stollen
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Fig and Hazelnut Tea Cake with Orange Glaze
Ingredients
- 2/3 cups shelled whole hazelnuts
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups chopped dried figs
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature
- 2 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon ground anise seed (this is anise seed, NOT star anise)
- or 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
- For the Orange Glaze:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1/2 cup powdered/confectioner sugar
Instructions
- First toast the hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the hazelnuts in one layer on a baking sheet. Place it on the middle rack and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and let them steam 1 minute. Then rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins (don't worry if they don't all come off). Let them cool completely.Leave the oven on at 350 F. Butter and flour a 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 loaf pan.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and ground anise (unless using extract - add it to the wet ingredients) into a large bowl. Add the toasted hazelnuts and the chopped figs and stir to coat.
- In another large bowl, beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat another 4-5 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the orange zest and the anise extract if you aren't using ground anise. Stir in the flour/fig/hazelnut mixture until combined. The dough will be very stiff. Spoon the dough into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake on the middle rack for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cooled, make the orange glaze:In a medium bowl, microwave (or use a saucepan over the stovetop) the butter and orange juice together until the butter is melted. Remove and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and whisk vigorously until smooth and thickened. The icing will firm up quickly so use it within 5 minutes. If it does thicken simply reheat it for a few minutes.Drizzle the hot glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to run down the sides, and let it stand for about 1 hour until the glaze is set.
- Slice and serve immediately. This cake is best the same day but will keep for up to 3 days. To prevent the cake from drying out, wrap it and then store it in an airtight cake tin.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet February 7, 2016
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I love this! The combination of the figs and hazelnuts sounds amazing, and that orange glaze is drool-worthy!
Thanks so much, Julie! :)
What a perfect little cake! I adore hazelnuts but don’t eat them often enough!
Thanks, Lauren! Hazelnuts are so huge in a lot of western European baking, it’s really a shame that they’re not utilized more here in the U.S..
I love Figs! This bread looks amazing
Thanks, Chandra!
Ahhh I wish I had this in time for my tea party last weekend! Next time for sure!
This would have been PERFECT, Ashley!
This really is the most beautiful dense cake. Love the figs and hazelnuts in there.
Thanks so much, Ginny! The figs and hazelnuts really complement each other beautifully.
The orange in there sounds delicious! Such a pretty cake!
Thanks, Erin! The orange is a vital component to this cake, it adds such a wonderful flavor!
This reminds me of an Italian holiday cake. I love any sweet with hazelnuts! Such a perfect flavor combo and so wonderful to have with a cup of coffee on a cold winter’s day!!
It’s very reminiscent of Italian baking, Lora, and I agree – hazelnuts are downright awesome!
LOVE everything about this cake! From figs and hazelnuts to the orange glaze! Gorgeous!
Thanks so much, Anna! :)
I love every single ingredient in this cake (and how funny, because I was thinking it sounded Italian)! Yor photos are lovely! I’m pinning this to try!
Thanks, Patricia! And yes, figs and hazelnuts are very much common in Italian baking as well.
Wow can I have this whole cake with my tea, I mean, I can’t just have a slice!
Haha, I can relate to that sentiment, Katalina! Which is why I still have a few pounds I need to shed! ;)
this sounds wonderful I’d love to be enjoying a slice or two with my moring tea
Thanks, Heather!
I have a hot cup of tea in my hands right now and would LOVE a slice of this cake to go along with it! Beautiful!
You are perfectly set for a slice of this, Stephanie! :)
I’m looking for orange glaze recipe today and suddenly I see your post..get extra here because your cake looks fabulous to try as well…
That’s awesome, Citra, thank you!
This is gorgeous and I am loving all those flavors!
Thanks, Marye! :)
Those flavors sound glorious! I love the crunch of the hazelnuts too!
Thanks, Rebecca! The hazelnuts provide a nice crunchy contrast to the chewiness of the figs.