Born into a family whose lineage dates back to Portugal, Castile, and the Canary Islands. His great-great-grandfather Marcos Cabral Maldonado was mayor of Hincha around 1760. His father was Melchor María Cabral y Luna, and his mother Águeda Figueredo Rivera. He was the nephew of General Dionisio Cabral y Luna and the several-time president of the Dominican Republic José María Cabral. Cabral married his second-cousin Altagracia Amelia Báez Andújar, the daughter of President Buenaventura Báez, and begat 7 children: José María, Ramona Antonia, Casilda, Pablo, Buenaventura, Mario Fermín, and Altagracia Amelia Cabral y Báez.

During th Dominican Restoration War, Cabral Figurredo was personal secretary of General Pedro Florentino. He was there in September 1863, when he rose up against Spain in Baní. Due to his militancy, he fell under the control of General Domingo Lazala, who had condemned the patrician Francisco del Rosario Sánchez to death some several years prior in 1861. His time as head of state was brief. He took office as President of the Provisional Government Board on December 10, 1876, replacing President Ignacio María González, who renounced power. At the same time, Cabral Figueredo transferred command of the country on December 27, 1876 to his father-in-law Buenaventura Báez.

Cabral Figueredo died on March 3, 1903 in Santo Domingo after giving a fiery speech at Puerta del Conde.