Best Grape Cake Epicurious Recipes

BEAUMES-DE-VENISE CAKE WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush 10-inch-diameter springform pan with olive oil. Line bottom of pan with parchment; brush parchment with olive oil.
• Sift flour and next 3 ingredients into bowl. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl until smooth. Whisk in eggs, both peels and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with wine in 3 additions each, whisking just until smooth after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle grapes over batter.
• Bake cake until top is set, about 20 minutes. Dot top of cake with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over. Bake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes longer. Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes. Release pan sides. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

UPSIDE-DOWN GRAPE AND MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Puree 1 cup grapes and grape juice concentrate in blender until as smooth as possible. Pour puree into medium saucepan. Add 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir to dissolve cornstarch. Add remaining 2 1/4 cups grapes. Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens, boils, and becomes clear, 2 to 3 minutes (grapes will remain whole); mix in vinegar. Pour into prepared cake pan. Spread grapes in single layer; cool.
• Beat cream cheese, flour, and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in mascarpone, then eggs, 1 at a time. Spoon batter over grape mixture.
• Bake cake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Place cake directly into refrigerator; chill uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Cut around cake. Place plate over pan; hold plate and pan together and invert. Lift off pan. Cut cake into wedges.
• An Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

ITALIAN FRESH PURPLE GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously butter and flour the 9 inch springform cake pan, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside.
• 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.
• 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 flour 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.
• Stir in 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.
• Place the pan in the center of the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining grapes. Bake for about 40 minutes more, until the top is a deep golden brown and the cake feels quite firm when pressed with a fingertip.
• Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. 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. Serve at room temperature, cut into thin wedges.

WARM ALMOND CAKES WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• If using Cognac, toss grapes with it in a small bowl.
• Pulse half of almonds with 1 tablespoon sugar in a blender until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and repeat with remaining almonds and 1 more tablespoon sugar.
• Beat together butter and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in ground almonds, flour, and salt until just combined.
• Divide batter among gratin dishes and press grapes lightly into batter (discard Cognac). Bake in dishes on a baking sheet until cake is firm and pale golden with slightly darker edges, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer cakes to a rack and cool slightly in dishes before serving.

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.