- 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
- 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
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour bundt pan, knocking out excess flour.
- While oven preheats, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Lightly toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in oven, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool and coarsely chop. Leave oven on.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then whisk in remaining icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.