This is the recipe I selected for "Lite and Luscious" night at Janet's. I took about five recipes that I liked and entered the ingredients into Weight Watcher's "build a recipe" tool and this cake came out at only 5 points per serving. It needs no icing, no side sauce. It was easy to make and has lots of complex flavors and textures. It is basically from Lydia Batianich's book, Lydia's Family Table. I added some fresh thyme to her recipe which I thought would add another complimentary layer of flavor. I used the thyme that's in my garden, but no one could taste it. Perhaps the flavor of winter thyme is too gentle. So next time I make this cake, I'll use fresh thyme from the store or use my thyme only in the summer when it full of sunbaked flavor.
The first time I made this cake, I followed the directions about mixing the grapes into the top half of the batter. Lydia said they would sink. Well, no sinkage occurred and the grapes stayed at the top of the cake. (It was still delicious.) The second time I thought I would compensate, so I poured half of the batter into the pan, sprinkled 1 cup of grapes, poured the second. So, of course, the second time, the grapes sank and they were all at the bottom of the cake (still delicious). I will definitely make this again and really won't care where the grapes end up. This is a wonderful recipe.
1 ½ c all purpose flour, plus extra to flour cakepan and to coat the grapes
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. soft butter, plus 1 tbsp for the cake pan
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. lemon or orange zest
1 tbsp. thyme
¾ c dry white wine
2 c small red seedless grapes
For Topping the Cake During Baking
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. Sugar in the Raw
Arrange rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375.
Assemble a springform pan, butter and flour the insides.
Sift or stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
With a stand mixer on low speed, cream the butter and sugar together in a big bowl. When blended, beat on high speed for a couple of minutes until smooth and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs, one at the time, mixing well at moderate speed, then mix in the olive oil, the vanilla, the thyme and the citrus zest. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes or so to lighten and smooth the batter.
Pour and scrape all of the batter into the cake pan and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the grapes and toss to coat. Scatter the grapes over the surface of the batter. Swirl a spatula or knife around them, folding and stirring them into the top of the batter. Don’t fold or swirl deeper than an inch. The fruits don’t need to be completed covered because they will sink as the cake rises. (Maybe.)
Set the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the top is set. The batter underneath will still be loose and will shake. Carefully remove from oven and scatter butter bits and then the sugar on the top. Return the cake to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or so, a total of 40 minutes, until the cake is set and the top is golden brown and lightly glazed by the final sugar and butter. Remove to a cooling rack and after about 10 minutes, remove the side ring. Cool thoroughly. Serve at room temperature, sliced into wedges.
The first time I made this cake, I followed the directions about mixing the grapes into the top half of the batter. Lydia said they would sink. Well, no sinkage occurred and the grapes stayed at the top of the cake. (It was still delicious.) The second time I thought I would compensate, so I poured half of the batter into the pan, sprinkled 1 cup of grapes, poured the second. So, of course, the second time, the grapes sank and they were all at the bottom of the cake (still delicious). I will definitely make this again and really won't care where the grapes end up. This is a wonderful recipe.
1 ½ c all purpose flour, plus extra to flour cakepan and to coat the grapes
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. soft butter, plus 1 tbsp for the cake pan
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. lemon or orange zest
1 tbsp. thyme
¾ c dry white wine
2 c small red seedless grapes
For Topping the Cake During Baking
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. Sugar in the Raw
Arrange rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375.
Assemble a springform pan, butter and flour the insides.
Sift or stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
With a stand mixer on low speed, cream the butter and sugar together in a big bowl. When blended, beat on high speed for a couple of minutes until smooth and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs, one at the time, mixing well at moderate speed, then mix in the olive oil, the vanilla, the thyme and the citrus zest. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes or so to lighten and smooth the batter.
Pour and scrape all of the batter into the cake pan and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the grapes and toss to coat. Scatter the grapes over the surface of the batter. Swirl a spatula or knife around them, folding and stirring them into the top of the batter. Don’t fold or swirl deeper than an inch. The fruits don’t need to be completed covered because they will sink as the cake rises. (Maybe.)
Set the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the top is set. The batter underneath will still be loose and will shake. Carefully remove from oven and scatter butter bits and then the sugar on the top. Return the cake to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or so, a total of 40 minutes, until the cake is set and the top is golden brown and lightly glazed by the final sugar and butter. Remove to a cooling rack and after about 10 minutes, remove the side ring. Cool thoroughly. Serve at room temperature, sliced into wedges.
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