Do you like grapes? it’s one of those fruits that I like but cannot eat a lot of, just in small quantities. Except when it’s in the cake. Than I can increase those quantities! 😀 This is one very good cake I tell you! And I made it three times this week to make sure the recipe works and it’s good every time. Both me and my husband, as well as his colleagues at work, can confirm that the cake is delicious so I hope you’ll try it out while the grapes is still in season (in this part of the world at least!)…
I’ve been thinking these days how much my life has changed in the last year. Actually the snow we had all the week made me think how last year in October I was still living in the south of Turkey and was going to swim in the Mediterranean sea every day and how much I loved it. It was just the best way of exercising and relaxing and I miss it. When you live this “nomad” way of life and moving countries and homes so often, people usually see only one side of it. The side where it’s all exciting and new and you get to travel a lot and experience interesting and amazing things, you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard the words “lucky you”. Like always in life, there is that other side too. The one we don’t show that much on our facebook or instagram pages. Side where it gets difficult to say goodbye to people, places and things you just started to love and got used to, where it can get lonely as you don’t have your usual social network around you and family & friends live far away, where you kind of have to start from the beginning every time and sometimes it’s not easy to find the energy and motivation to do it. Starting from scratch in Kazakhstan, Turkey or Switzerland are very very different things and everywhere you have different cultures, mentalities, customs, ways of life… and you kind of have to find your way. Sometimes you find it straight away and sometimes it takes a bit longer. But that’s ok. I truly believe that all our life experiences make us stronger and build our character. We wouldn’t be what we are today if we haven’t walked all those paths that life gave us. I am so grateful for this what I do, it gives me great pleasure and a feeling that everything is going to be all right. Thank you for following me and being here with me… 🙂
Now the cake!!! It’s so delicious and not heavy for your digestion as it’s made with olive oil and not cream and butter. You really can’t taste the olive oil as long as you don’t use the extra virgin one!
I edited the recipe for Grape and almond harvest cake I found on vegetarian times website (original recipe here)Â where they use grape seed oil, cornmeal and yogurt that I don’t use in my version of recipe.
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour or spelt flour
- ½ cup almond meal (ground almonds)
- 2 tsp (1 sachet) baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
- ¾ cup coconut sugar (or ½ cup light brown un-refined sugar)
- 1 vanilla bean seed (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups white grapes (remove seeds if you wish)
- 1 tbsp raw cane sugar (optional)
- Note: If you are like me and like only mildly sweet cakes, than you can reduce coconut sugar quantity and use only ½ cup.
- Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). Grease and flour 26 cm (10 inch) springform baking pan.
- In a smaller mixing bowl combine flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt.
- In a larger mixing bowl whisk with an electrical mixer olive oil, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, until all well combined.
- Stir in flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and gently place the grapes on top, in even layer. Sprinkle the grapes with 1 tbsp of sugar (optional).
- Put the cake back in the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes, then remove pan’s outer ring, and cool completely.
- Dust with some powdered sugar (optional) and serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
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