Harvest Grape Cake Recipes

WARM GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• This cake is very simple to put together but you have to respect 1 rule: temperature. It is critical that the butter, eggs, milk and olive oil all be at room temperature when you begin making this batter.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until they lighten in color, about 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs and lemon zest. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour over the bowl and add the baking powder and salt, gently folding to combine. Add in the olive oil and milk, stirring to combine. In a separate bowl, toss the raisins and about 1 cup of the grapes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sifted flour. Add the fruit to the cake batter and stir only enough to blend.
• Thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of the cake pan with some extra softened butter. Pour the batter into the pan and slide it into the center of the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool. Detach the outside of the springform pan, using the bottom as a plate for the cake to finish cooling.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cream, confectioners' sugar and almond extract until soft peaks form. Set the topping aside.
• Add the honey to a small saute pan and bring it to a light simmer over low heat. Once it bubbles, thickens and turns light brown after about 2 to 3 minutes, add in the grated ginger and remaining grapes. Switch off the heat and allow the glaze to cool. Serve slices of the cake with some of the grape-ginger mixture spooned over and a dollop of the whipped cream.

LOW-FAT HARVEST GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / gas 4. Grease a deep, round 20cm cake tin. Dust the grapes with a little of the flour. Put the remaining flour, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a whisk after each addition, until the mixture is the consistency of batter.
• Add the grapes and olive oil and mix well together. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 hr until golden and well risen. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. If you like, dust the top with icing sugar to serve.

WINEMAKER'S GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C; gas mark 4/5).
• 2. Generously butter and flour the springform pan, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside.
• 3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, oil, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix until blended.
• 4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add the lemon zest and orange zest, and toss to coat the zest with flour. Spoon the mixture into the bowl of batter and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix once more. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquids.
• 5. Stir about 3/4 of the grapes into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
• 6. Place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the top of the cake with remaining grapes. Bake until the top is a deep golden brown and the cake feels quite firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 40 minutes more, for a total baking time of 55 minutes. Remove to rack to cool. After 10 minutes, run a knife along the sides of the pan. Release and remove the side of the springform pan, leaving the cake on the pan base. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Serve at room temperature, cut into thin wedges.
• Wine suggestions
• Grape cake is an ideal match for _vin santo,_the rich, smooth, aromatic sweet wine prepared in small quantities on many Italian estates.
• In a purple haze
• Over time, I have identified the mystery that discourages many shoppers from buying grapes: the inevitable hazy white film. Though one might understandably assume it's due to a spray of pesticide, the film is in fact a natural substance produced by the grape. It acts as a protective covering to prevent moisture from penetrating the fruit. It also keeps the skin from cracking when the grape loses moisture. Even better, the film contains nothing toxic! You will find the same harmless film on plums.

RED-GRAPE CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment; butter parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat together butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in half of flour mixture, then sour cream and lemon zest. Stir in remaining flour mixture just to combine. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, smoothing top with a small offset spatula. Scatter grapes over top.
• Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack, remove parchment, invert cake, and let cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat cream and confectioners' sugar on medium-high speed to soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Add crème fraîche; beat to firm peaks, about 2 minutes more. Serve cake with whipped crème fraîche and more grapes.