Happy
Spring!
Today is
the first full day of Spring and we need to celebrate with cake! So, I started
rummaging through my pantry and fridge looking for something to make.
All I knew
while rummaging was that I didn't want anything frosted or chocolate. I wanted
something simple, rustic and delicious. Hidden in the back of the fridge, I
spotted the red globe grapes that my husband bought a few days back. Some were
starting to look a little sad and squishy (ew!), but the rest was still
useable. I hate letting anything go to waste.
I knew
right away that I wanted to make a polenta cake with these lovely jewel toned
beauties. I was inspired by one of my favorite comfort meals: Roasted Chicken
with Grapes over Creamy Polenta. A MUST try!
Personally,
I don't mind the seeds. I actually like eating them. Always have. My husband in
the other hand… not so much. But… I decided to bake with them anyway. More cake
for me if he hates it.
Grape Polenta Cake
Makes: 9" cake
6
tablespoons (90 grams) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup
(100 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon
vanilla paste
1 teaspoon
lemon zest
1 large
egg
1/2 cup
almond milk*
1 cup (130
grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup
(65 grams) coarse ground yellow cornmeal
1 1/2
teaspoons baking powder
1/2
teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/2 cups
red globe grapes or any seedless grapes
2
teaspoons turbinado sugar
*You can
use regular milk or buttermilk. Almond milk is what I happen to have in the
fridge.
Preheat
oven to 350°F.
Butter a
9" springform pan. Set aside.
In a
medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the
bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar
until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla paste, lemon zest and egg until well combined. Reduce
speed to low, beat in the dry ingredients and milk in 3 additions (starting and
ending with dry ingredients).
Pour batter into prepared springform pan. Randomly arrange or form a pattern with the grapes on-top of cake batter. Don't worry about pushing the grape into the cake. They will sink as the cake bakes. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes (depending on your oven).
Happy Friday!
