The Concord Grape

Golden Cornmeal-Grape Cake with Grape Juice Reduction

Ingredients

For the reduction:

  • 4 cups Welch’s 100% Grape Juice made with Concord grapes

For the cake:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal, whole grain, fine grind
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup nonfat milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 cups seedless grapes: a mixture of whole red, green and black; washed and stems removed

Preparation

  1. Place Welch’s 100% Grape Juice made with Concord grapes in a heavy sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and allow the juice to simmer on low until it has reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
  2. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch non-stick round baking pan with cooking spray. Place about 1 tablespoon of cornmeal in the pan, shake pan to cover bottom and sides and tap out excess.
  3. Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Reserve.
  4. Place eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Turn mixer to low speed and slowly add the olive oil. Beat in milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest, until well incorporated about 1 minute.
  5. Add the reserved flour mixture by half mixing well on low speed between each addition. Remove batter from the mixer. Scrape into prepared baking pan. Disperse grapes over the top of the batter.
  6. Bake for about 45-50 minutes until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean and cake is golden brown.
  7. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack and let cool for 5 – 10 minutes. Turn pan over onto wire rack to continue cooling. Place on serving plate.
  8. To serve, cut the warm cake into 10 slices. Serve one slice with 3 tablespoons of warm 100% Grape Juice Reduction drizzled over the top and onto the plate.

Nutrition Per Serving:
310 calories, 12g fat, 2g saturated fat, 4g protein, 48g carbohydrate, 35mg cholesterol, 170mg sodium, 2g fiber

Contributed by: Mary Kimbrough, RD, LD and Robin Plotkin, RD, LD

Golden Cornmeal-Grape Cake with Grape Juice Reduction