figs

Honey Cake with Figs and Whipped Cream Cheese

The other day, my mom and I were talking about this blog and how things had been going. She mentioned that she had noticed there hadn’t been as much narrative attached to the recipes, and after some consideration, I realized she was right.

You see, from day one this site has not existed merely to fill bowls and spoons with calorie-packed cakes and frosting-swirled treats. I wanted Wood and Spoon to be a place where people could come to nourish their bellies but also their hearts too. It’s safe to say that this blog will never have the easiest recipes, the best shortcuts, or be regarded as the premier resource for baking how-to’s, but I’ll be damned if you leave these pages feeling anything less than encouraged and inspired to create in your own homes. In our weird sort of internet kind of way, I want us to be friends and to engage with stories and food in a way that will impact you in your own world. Does that make sense?

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we can be transparent here. We can share cookies and recipes, but moreso than that, I want us t0 share words and memories like two friends would over cups of coffee at the kitchen counter. I want to invite you into my world, my kitchen, in hopes that you feel the freedom to do the same in your own circles. If you leave this site with an idea to create and the gumption to love the ones around you via food, well, my job is done.

Joy

So for the sake of transparency, I want to talk about joy. I heard someone recently say that joy is the unicorn of emotions. It’s hard to capture it, to feel it all the time, or to understand what it’s all about. Nonetheless, when you see it, you know what you’ve witnessed. Joy has been the elusive theme of my life for a few months now, and I constantly find myself on the hunt- looking for it around each corner, trying to figure out how to bottle up that magic for myself.

I see joy on the faces of my toddlers as they race around our yard and dance about our living room. We witness it in airports as families welcome home long-awaited brothers and sisters. I feel it in church, in the the crescendo of a good song, and even sometimes in the confines of my kitchen, that little sanctuary where, every once in a while, I capture a memory of someone I love through a single bite of food.

“It’s not until I look up to catch a breath that I realize what I’ve been missing.”

Joy eludes me when I lose touch with my willingness to receive it. I tend to put my head down and rush from task to task, deadline to deadline. I’m constantly existing in the process but never really looking up long enough to enjoy it. This way of life buries me, and it’s not until I look up to catch a breath that I realize what I’ve been missing.

So that has been me these past few months. This site and the stories we share are hugely important to me, but I needed to slow down to make room for other things. For all the times I said “No” to testing recipes, editing photos, or checking my email for the millionth time, I said “Yes” to something I needed more. I said “Yes” to my children and to later dinnertimes, to popsicles in the backyard and dreaming about the future with my husband. I said “Yes” to some things that make me really joyful.

Honey Cake with Figs

One of the recipes I did take time to love on is this honey cake with figs and whipped cream cheese. Every year, like clockwork, my father-in-law’s fig tree produces a bounty of fruit that is so beautiful, it’s almost a travesty that the harvest is so short. After last year’s honey mascarpone tart, I knew I wanted to capture that summer essence in a beautiful and simple cake. This honey cake with figs and whipped cream cheese is what I came up with; I think you’re going to like it.

For starters, we’ve got a single layer cake, rich and heavy from the addition of honey. To lighten it up, a cream cheese whipped cream, barely tangy and totally cloud-like, goes on top. The cake is adorned with some over-the-top toppings too. Juicy figs are sliced and sprinkled with candied walnuts and a drizzle of honey. Truly, this honey cake with figs and whipped cream cheese is as yummy as it is beautiful.

A Few Pointers:

I’ll spare you the details on how to make this cake and will instead give you some tips for success here. First, be sure to assemble the cake with its toppings just before serving. While the cream cheese does help make the whipped cream more stable, it still will eventually fall. Additionally, the figs will release juices once cut and coated with sugar. If you want to avoid a sticky mess, be sure to assemble close to consumption time.

For a more honey-forward cake, you can sub some of the sugar out for additional honey. Keep in mind that this substitution will change the texture of the cake. See the notes section of the recipe for more on that. Finally, do not skip the nuts here. This barely-sweet cake benefits from the texture and flavor that the sweet morsels of walnuts provide; they are the real hero here.

Finally, I want to introduce you to a new friend: Diamond of California Nuts! I am thrilled to have partnered with my long-time go-to. Over the coming year we are going to create some seriously delicious things with these nutty beauties. Please welcome them into your own kitchens. And thank you in advance for supporting the brands that makes the magic on this site possible. Happy baking to you all!

If you like this honey cake with figs and whipped cream cheese you should check out:

Pistachio Honey Bars

Honey Mascarpone Tart with Figs and Salty Graham Cracker Crust

Honey Salted Almond Ice Cream

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts

Honey Cake with Figs and Whipped Cream Cheese

Print Recipe

This honey cake with figs and whipped cream cheese is a simple summer cake topped with candied walnuts, tangy whipped cream, and sweet fruit.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 40
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 9
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake (Adapted from Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson):

¾ cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (170 gm) honey
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (280 gm) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (120 gm) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the whipped cream:

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (60 gm) confectioner’s sugar
1–1/2 cups (360 gm) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk (optional)

For the candied walnuts:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

For the topping:

Figs, or another chopped fruit of your choice
Extra honey for drizzling
Candied Walnuts

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Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom of a light-colored 9” (springform would work here as well) pan, lining the bottom with a round of parchment paper. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, honey, sugar, and vanilla extract. Start on low speed to combine and then increase to medium-high (I use 6 on my mixer) for 6 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, stirring on low after each addition to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl. In a small bowl, stir to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and honey mixture, stirring on low to almost combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl, stir in the buttermilk, and then add the remaining dry ingredients, stirring only until incorporated. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and baking in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before topping with the whipped cream, figs, and walnuts. You can also drizzle additional honey as desired. Serve immediately.

To prepare the whipped cream:

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the whipping cream a tablespoon at a time until it is all incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed on your mixer and whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Give the mixture a taste- if you would prefer it to be a little bit tangier, add in about 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. This will thin the mixture out a bit but will add yummy flavor. Spread on top of the cake and serve immediately!

To prepare the walnuts:

Combine the butter, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium, non-stick over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the nuts and stir regularly using a rubber spatula until the nuts have toasted and the sugar has begun to melt, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and spread out the nuts to cool on a sheet of parchment paper.

Notes

For a more honey-forward tasting cake you can use 2/3 cup of honey and only ¾ cup of sugar in the cake. This will yield a more heavy, dense feeling cake, but the honey flavor is more prominent. I like to use the original recipe and then drizzle extra honey on additional pieces as desired.
Dark colored pans will brown this cake a ton! I prefer to use a light-colored pan, but both will work.

This post is sponsored by Diamond of California Nuts. Thank you for supporting brands that make Wood & Spoon possible!

Honey Mascarpone Tart with Figs and Salty Graham Cracker Crust

67 Comments / Pies and Tarts

Honey Mascarpone Tart By The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a simple, summer dessert. A no-bake cheesecake tart of sorts with a salty press in graham cracker and a creamy cheese filling. The tart is naturally sweetened with honey and is topped with toasted pistachios and fresh figs. This dessert can be made ahead and is quick- it takes less than 30 minutes of prep time. Make this little tartlet in place of summer pies. Find the whole recipe and photos on thewoodandspoon.com

I know. You’re just dying to read all about this sassy little honey mascarpone tart that requires less than 10 ingredients and 30 minutes to prep. But first, I thought I’d spend a minute talking about making a home in a new city.

A Whole New World

When I moved to Selma, it was a culture shock. I’d moved around a good bit throughout my life, planting roots in upstate New York, rural Kentucky, and even central Florida, but not even my decade in Birmingham could prepare me for the small town life that awaited me in lower Alabama. The town of less than 20,000 operated at a slower, more relaxed pace of life. No Starbucks, no Whole Foods, no movie theatre. Most of the people I met had lived there pretty much their whole life, and in a sea of new faces, I sweat under the heat of being the new kid.

I felt kinda like a square peg in a town filled with round holes. People were warm and inviting, but the level of kindness and hospitality around me was intimidating. I didn’t feel polite enough or talkative enough or Southern enough to fit in. My accent was different, and I dressed different, listened to different music. I wasn’t outdoorsy, I didn’t fry chicken, and I couldn’t give two craps about who won the Iron Bowl. I felt like an outsider.

Normal, social people, maybe ones with fewer insecurities and fears than I had, would have embraced the change. They probably would have welcomed the kindness and warmth that this small community shared so generously. They would have jumped at the chance to be known, to belong.

Change is Hard

But to be frank, it scared the mess out of me. I didn’t like the constant show of new faces and I missed the quick runs to Target and my favorite Thai restaurant. I cried in the shower and avoided going to the supermarket because I knew I would be met with unfamiliar faces and awkward conversation. It was as if I had amnesia, like I was lost in a foreign land and I didn’t know who or where I was.

Instead of dealing with it, I pushed back. I cut my hair and put on my best yankee accent. I turned my nose up to the beautiful tastes and sounds that were all around me, retreating to things that were more familiar- throwback playlists on my iPod, old Converse sneakers, and recipes that reminded me of home. Where was my own identity? The one that wasn’t just “Brett’s wife,” or “the new girl from Orlando.”?

Blossom Where You’re Planted

One day at work, I had a patient ask me how my transition to Selma was going. Obnoxiously, I cleared my throat and with an eye roll or two, I told him that my new life was harder than I thought it would be. The change was more than I expected. I’m honestly not sure what else was said in the conversation, or if I even responded with the grace that man deserved, but what plays clear as black and white in the reel of my memories is the look on his face and the gentle words that came next: “My Mama always told me, ‘Blossom where you’re planted.’ I sure hope you take the chance to bloom here, ma’am.”

Those words affected me. They exposed a stubborn seed of pride in my heart that was unwilling to bend for my new home in any way. I was so busy with my self-deprecation and mourning the loss of outlet malls that I forget to look for the silver lining. I failed to seek out the gold in Selma, the gold in its people.

A lot has transpired in the four year since that day. I won’t say much about it now, but what I will share is that Selma has become a home. There are roots now, woven snug to some of the most intimate parts of who I am. Roots that connect me to memories of my children, new smells and flavors, and faces of people who have become “forever friends.” There’s buds here, signs of new life and growth, and I’m certain now more than ever that Selma is the soil I want to blossom in.

Honey Mascarpone Tart

Every summer since moving to Selma, I’ve found myself with a basket of figs. My father-in-law has a gigantic fig tree at his home, so when the tree’s fruit ripens, I strap on some boots and sweat, sweat, sweat for the love of sweet summer fruit. Preserves come first, and we enjoy that bounty all year round on toast and biscuits, even inside some sweet little pop-tarts that I plan to share with you all next month. This year, I made a few extra trips to pick figs and this honey mascarpone tart is the result.

A simple, 8 ingredient tart, requiring less than 30 minutes of prep work and zero use of the oven, this honey mascarpone tart is a beautiful vehicle for late summer’s freshest fruits. I’ve chosen to pair mine with figs, but I think any cherry, peach, or berry would find themselves more than at home on this little beauty.

Making the Tart

To make this honey mascarpone tart, we start by preparing the crust. Salty, soft, and unabashedly buttery, the graham cracker crust here is anything but subtle. It is the perfect match for the creamy, lightly sweetened cream and fresh figs. A simple stir of graham cracker crumbs, butter, salt, and brown sugar and you’re halfway there to creating the best no-bake honey graham crust a gal could ask for. Press the crumbs into the removable bottom of a tart pan and let the whole thing chill up in the fridge.

The Filling

Next, make the filling. Mascarpone cheese, honey, and brown sugar are the main stars here. After combining all three, fold in some whipped cream and spread it into the chilled crust. At that point, the honey mascarpone tart could really be finished. I could easily polish off the entire thing without even blinking an eye. Instead, let’s decorate it with some fresh summer fruit, a handful of pistachios, and a drizzle of honey. YOLO, okay?

This honey mascarpone tart feels special. It feels like a dessert worth celebrating over, and yet, it’s just a few simple ingredients that shine their brightest when paired together. Light and fresh, a chilled slice of this honey mascarpone tart is just the ticket on these warm summer nights we’re having. It’s easy enough for a weeknight at home, decadent enough to raise a toast to.

Give this honey mascarpone tart a try and let me know what you think! Happy Thursday!

If you like this honey mascarpone tart, be sure to check out:

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

Bruleed Key Lime Pies

Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust

Honey Mascarpone Tart

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.3 from 9 reviews

This honey mascarpone tart is a quick and simple mascarpone cream dessert with a salty graham cracker crust. The tart is finished with fresh figs and toasted pistachios.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 240
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes