This is pretty much my friand recipe but when made into a cake it adds a wonderful moist texture. It is grape harvesting time so any petite wine grapes will burst with flavour into this cake.
Grape and almond cake
Serves 10
Ingredients
150g butter, melted
2 cups sugar
¾ cup ground almonds
½ cup gluten-free flour or plain white flour
pinch of salt
5 egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup grapes, muscat or pinot are delicious
2 Tbsp sugar for dusting of cake
Method
Preheat oven to 170degC.
Grease a 20cm removable bottom tin well with butter.
Begin by melting butter on the stove over moderate heat until the butter starts to foam and go a light brown colour with a nutty aroma. Set aside.
In a large bowl add sugar, almonds, flour and salt and mix together. Add the egg whites and mix lightly to combine. Stirring constantly, gently pour in the melted butter and continue mixing until well incorporated. If possible, let the batter sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to one hour (this will allow the batter to thicken). Pour into prepared tin and sprinkle over the grapes. Finally sprinkle over the 2 Tbsp sugar and bake for 35 minutes or until the middle has firmed up and the surface has a crust.
Remove and cool completely before cutting.
This cake will keep for up to three days and the batter will keep between five and seven days.
• Alison Lambert, chef at the Otago Farmers Market, will be demonstrating this recipe at the market on Saturday morning.
