A grape cake

To tell you the truth, I don’t really care for grapes. In fact, I’d probably say that I eat more raisins than fresh grapes. I have no good reason to feel this way but I’m just saying they are not a staple around here.

Just the sheer scarcity of grapes in my fridge should have made this recipe a no-go from the beginning for me. But when I saw it a few months back in my copy of Martha Stewart’s Living, I marked it and set it aside. It looked simple and elegant – sometimes you need a cake like that.

Skimming through the growing stack of magazines recently, I came upon it once again. And with company in the house and an upcoming trip to the grocery store, the timing seemed right. I questioned my decision when I saw that the recipe called for toasted, ground almonds – how often do you have those sitting around? But what else was I going to do with those grapes?

Of course, I don’t want you to be put off by this recipe either. While the toasted almonds are a tasty addition, you really don’t have to toast them if you are pressed for time.  And unless you can buy ground almonds, a food processor or blender would be handy to have. But otherwise, this recipe is a breeze. It’s quick and delicious and doesn’t require fancy icing or layers to impress anyone. Pull it out of the oven to simply finish off a meal, or pack thick slices in paper for a spring picnic.

It seems that I am all about the citrus zest these days. It’s been showing up in baked goods as well as sandwich spreads. And this cake is no exception. You’d think that a cake enriched with olive oil and studded with grapes would be enough. But once you add a few teaspoons of lemon zest, it just comes alive. Don’t skimp, just keep on zesting!

Grape Cake

Adapted from Martha Stewart