Active Time

　　40 min

　　Total Time

　　3 1/2 hr

　　Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of time-honored ingredients—sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon—will have your guests clamoring for the recipe.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 12 to 16 servings

　　

For cake

1 pound dried Black Mission figs, hard tips discarded

　　2 cups water

　　1/2 cup bourbon

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)

　　2 teaspoons baking powder

　　3/4 teaspoon baking soda

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

　　1 3/4 cups pecans (7 ounces)

　　2 cups packed light brown sugar

　　1 cup vegetable oil

　　3 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes

　　

For icing

1 cup confectioners sugar

　　4 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

　　2 teaspoons bourbon

　　1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　Equipment: a 12-cup bundt pan

　　

Make cake:

Step 1

Simmer figs in water in a heavy medium saucepan, covered, until figs are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Purée in a food processor with bourbon and vanilla. Cool to warm.

　　

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour bundt pan, knocking out excess flour.

　　

Step 3

While oven preheats, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

　　

Step 4

Lightly toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in oven, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool and coarsely chop. Leave oven on.

　　

Step 5

Beat together brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in fig mixture. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated, then fold in pecans.

　　

Step 6

Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, then invert onto a plate.

　　

Make icing:

Step 7

Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then whisk in remaining icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.