Italian Grape Cake Food

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.

OLIVE OIL-GRAPE CAKE WITH HONEY-GINGER GLAZE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
• Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on high speed until they lighten in color, 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs one by one, then pour in the olive oil and milk and mix to combine.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Grate 5 or 6 light "grates" of the lemon zest over the flour mixture.
• Finish the batter: Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Fold in about 1 cup of the grapes. Stir only enough to blend and gently so as not to bruise or break too many grapes.
• Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the center of the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.
• Make the glaze and serve the cake: Meanwhile, combine the honey and ginger in a small saute pan. Bring to a light simmer over low heat. When it bubbles, thickens and turns light brown, 2 to 3 minutes, add the remaining 1/2 cup grapes and the juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Serve slices of the cake with some of the grape-ginger mix spooned over it. Serve with tangy Greek yogurt or a scoop of lemon sorbet on the side.

INDIVIDUAL GRAPE AND VIN SANTO CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Generously butter muffin cups and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat butter with 2/3 cup granulated sugar using an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in zest.
• Add flour mixture in 2 batches alternately with wine, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just incorporated.
• Toss grapes with remaining tablespoon flour, then fold into batter.
• Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake until golden and springy to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then loosen with a knife and remove. Cool to warm, 5 to 10 minutes more.

CITRUS GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Pour the wine into a small pan. Bring to the boil, then keep simmering until reduced down to 85ml - this will take 5-10 mins. Leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Brush a 23cm springform cake tin with olive oil, tip in 1 tbsp flour, then shake all over the pan until covered. Discard any excess. Beat together the sugar and butter until creamy and well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, then stir through the zests. Stir together the cooled wine and olive oil, then pour a little into the cake mix. Stir, then fold in a third of the flour and the baking powder. Keep alternating between adding the liquid and flour until everything has been incorporated and the batter is smooth.
• Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin, then smooth the surface with the back of the spoon. Scatter the halved grapes over the top, then sprinkle over the sugar. Bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Eat warm or cool. Will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

ITALIAN GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray or butter and flour; set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar until the mixer is thick; about 3-4 minutes. Add in the milk, oil, butter, orange zest, and cinnamon, and mix until combined. Mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the purple grapes. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, the release and remove the sides of the pan. Let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Cream together the butter and the ¼ cup sugar. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon rind and vanilla.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls at a time and continue to beat until they hold stiff peaks.
• Stir one fourth of the whites into the yolk mixture and fold in the remaining whites. Sift the sifted flour over the mixture, folding it in gently.
• Transfer the batter to a buttered 8 inch round cake pan. Sprinkle the grapes over the top of the batter.
• Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until it is lightly browned and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack until barely warm. Makes 6 to 8 servings depending on how you cut it.

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.

GRAPPA CAKE ( ITALIAN PEAR CAKE )

Steps:

• Make pear cake: Preheat oven to 350 and lightly butter and flour an 8 1/2" springform pan, knocking out excess flour.
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and baking powder.
• In another bowl, with an electric mixer beat together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour misture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until it is just combined after each addition. Stir in grappa.
• Peel and core pears; cut into 1/2" dice. Fold pears, raisins or prunes and pine nuts into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top with remaining tablespoons sugar. Bake cake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it, 45 - 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack and remove side of pan.
• Make grappa sauce: In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together eggs, sugar and cinnamon until thick and pale. In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt butter and stir in egg mixture. Cook sauce, stirring constantly, until it is thickened and registers 165F on a candy thermometer (c. 7 min). Remove bowl from pan; stir in cream and grappa. Serve cake with warm sauce.