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Single slice of grape cake on white plate with yellow metal fork, white background

Roasted Grape Vanilla Cake

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4.5 from 2 reviews

A beautiful and simple cake with surprising flavors. If you never baked with grapes (and I highly recommend you do) this recipe is a good way to start. The fruit is first lightly caramelized so it adds a natural extra sweetness to the batter that is wonderful. I love it with olive oil, but it can also be made with butter.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (if using butter, see Notes below)
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room tº
  • 1 cup (140g) all purpose or cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups seedless grapes
  • Powdered sugar, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF/170ºC.
  2. Wash the whole grapes, dry them, and place in a oven pan or sheet, add a teaspoon of olive oil and mix to coat lightly. 
  3. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until shriveled and juicy. It may take more or less depending on the size of your grapes. Some will be more roasted than others. 
  4. Turn the oven to 350°F/180°C.
  5. Butter or spray an 8-inch springform cake pan.
  6. Beat eggs in a large bowl and add sugar gradually, beating for a minute until it thickens.
  7. Add the oil in a thin stream while constantly beating, until it's thick and light colored, similar to homemade mayonnaise.
  8. Add vanilla and mix well.
  9. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Or have it all measured and sift directly over the batter.
  10. Add the dry ingredients in 2 parts, beating just until it's incorporated. Don't overbeat at this point.
  11. Pour into the prepared pan, and scatter the grapes on top.
  12. Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden and puffed and a tester comes out clean. The middle might sink slightly after you remove the cake from the oven. 
  13. Let cool on s wire rack, run a smooth-bladed knife around the edge to loosen and remove from the pan. 
  14. Sift with powdered sugar before serving.
  15. Keep leftovers wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator. 

Notes

Oil or butter: you can use olive oil or any other one, such as sunflower or canola. I used to make this cake with butter (instructions in the Notes section of the recipe card) until I tried it with olive oil and never looked back. But I'm a huge fan of the oil (Lemon Olive Oil Bundt Cake anyone?) and love baking with it. It might not be your case.

*If using butter: beat 1/2 cup (115g) of soft, unsalted butter with the sugar for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and integrate well. Follow the rest of the recipe as written above. 

Instructions: read recipe first to make sure you follow the pan size, oven and ingredients temperatures to ensure a good result. 

Storing: keep leftovers refrigerated, well wrapped to prevent drying out. You can keep it maybe 1 day at room temperature, but it has grapes and they will start to ferment if the room is not cool. So I recommend not to take a chance. 

Fruit variation: you can use sliced pears, apples or stone fruit like peaches or plums, it will be more of a fruit-topped cake as the batter won't hid them it much. Either way it’s great and perfect for tea time, or when you have a solitary fruit and want to bake something simple.

Flavorings: the batter is plain and can accommodate any spice or citrus zest you want, as long as you like it paired with grapes, or whatever fruit you use. I used a pure vanilla extract to let the sweetness of the roasted cakes shine.

  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: International

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8
  • Calories: 274
  • Sugar: 29.5 g
  • Sodium: 92.7 mg
  • Fat: 10.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 42.8 g
  • Protein: 3.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 46.5 mg

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/roasted-grape-vanilla-cake/