Don't Be Scared: Grape & Pine Nut Breakfast Cake

When I told my husband I baked a cake with grapes for breakfast, he said "a cake with what?".

Don't be scared, you heard correctly, I said "grapes". I know, a little strange.

Remember, I am the queen of roasting grapes with my vegetables (Brussels sprouts; Cauliflower; Butternut squash), so you know this recipe would appeal to me.

This is a great cake for your Sunday morning breakfast or late afternoon coffee break, since it's not too sweet, the sweetness comes mostly from the grapes. There is no butter, it uses healthy olive oil instead, and it is the quickest little cake I have ever put together.

I have seen a lot of Concord grapes at the late farmer's market, and grapes are always available throughout the year, though they taste best right about now.

Don't be tempted to use green grapes, they won't work in this.

I am sure somewhere along the way this has to be of Italian descent, but has been translated into English (it's like an Etruscan breakfast bread).



Grape & Pine Nut Breakfast Cake: (adapated from Rozanne Gold's original recipe)

2 eggs
1/4 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup of olive oil (plus some for brushing the pan)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups of self rising flour (I used all purpose flour)
big handful of black or red seedless grapes (I prefer the black grapes)
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp raw sugar for the top

Brush a small 8" tart pan w/ removable bottom with some olive oil.

Mix all the ingredients together, except for the grapes and nuts.

Spread batter into pan and place whole grapes in a nice pattern, pushing them halfway into the batter.



Sprinkle w/ the pine nuts and tablespoon of raw sugar.



Bake in a 350F oven for about 40 minutes until golden.



Let rest in the pan 15 minutes before removing the outer ring.

This was one of those top 10 cakes that I will be making again and again.
My dad and husband loved it (my cake testers!).

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