GLUTEN FREE RED GRAPE POLENTA CAKE

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     I sent my wife to the store for a pound of grapes.  I did not weigh them, but I suspect that there were way more then a pound.  This was a perfect opportunity to bake something using red grapes.  I found a recipe on FineCooking.com that looked good.  I converted it into a gluten free version and it turned out great. 

     The cake is very moist with a hint of a cornbread taste.  The grapes give small bursts of flavor that are like tiny pockets of gourmet grape jelly hidden randomly inside the cake.  It is quite delicious.

     Though I did read the recipe before I started to bake, I got interrupted a few times and did not mix up the batter as per the instructions.  I added the sugar to the oil instead of the eggs and then decided to just add the eggs to the oil and sugar and mix it all together until light in color. (Instead of mixing the egg and sugar alone until light in color and then adding the oil.)  The cake texture was good, it rose well and no sink hole.  It did take longer than recommended to bake, but it could be my oven ( I am still not used to the one in my new place).  To prevent excessive browning, I would suggest covering the cake with foil if you need to bake it longer than recommended.

     The original recipe used all extra virgin olive oil in the cake.  My EVVO has a very strong flavor and I decided to use half EVVO and half canola oil which is neutral tasting.  I am glad I did because it would have been overwhelming for me if the olive oil taste was any stronger than it came out with my diluted version.

     I am very happy that decided to bake this cake with my extra grapes, it is so yummy.

    

GLUTEN FREE RED GRAPE POLENTA CAKE

Makes one 9-inch round cake.

Ingredients

½ cup	Sorghum Flour
¼ cup	Chickpea Flour
¼ cup	Tapioca Flour
½ cup	Yellow Corn Meal
½ tsp	Xanthan Gum
2 tsp	Baking Powder
¼ tsp	Sea Salt
2 large	Eggs
⅔ cup	Sugar
¼ cup	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup	Canola Oil
⅓ cup	Milk or Dairy Free Milk of choice
1 tsp	Vanilla Extract
1 tsp	Lemon Zest - finely grated
1 ¾ cups/10 ounces)	Red Grapes - washed and dried

Directions

1)    Preheat oven to 350℉.  Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by greasing it.  I lined mine with a cake cardboard (that I greased) so that I could transfer the cake easily off of the bottom of the springform pan and onto a serving plate.

A greased 9-inch springform pan with a cake cardboard on the bottom.
The cake cardboard makes transferring the cake to a serving plate easier.

2)    In a small bowl add the flours, salt, baking powder and xanthan gum and whisk together well.  Set aside.

Dry ingredients mixed well with a whisk.

3)    In the bowl of a stand mixer add the sugar and eggs and beat on medium speed until light in color. (I accidentally added the sugar to the oil, so I just mixed the oil, eggs and sugar all together until light in color. If you actually follow the instructions from the original recipe it might come out even better than mine.)

4)    Add the oil by streaming it into the egg mixture while the mixer is running on low speed. After all the oil has been added turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix for a minute.

Egg mixture light in color.

5)    Add the milk and lemon zest and mix on low until blended.

6)    Add the flour, ½ cup at a time and mix in on low speed after each addition until all the flour is incorporated.  Mix on low speed for another two minutes.

7)    Add half of the grapes and fold into the batter by hand.

Batter with half the grapes folded in by hand.

8)    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Batter in the pan.

9)    Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and top the cake with the rest of the grapes, distributing them as evenly as possible over the cake.

Cake after 10 minutes of baking.

The partially baked cake with the remaining grapes scattered over the top.

10) Return the cake to the oven and bake an additional 40 minutes.  (Mine took 60 minutes.  I topped the cake loosely with foil during the additional 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.)  The cake is done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or when the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger.

Baked cake cooling in the pan.

11) Cool the cake in the pan.  When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and loosen the rim of the springform pan.  If you baked the cake on a cake cardboard you can easily lift the cake onto a serving dish.  If you did not use a cake cardboard you can transfer the cake, still on the bottom of the springform pan, to a plate for serving.

12) The cake will keep at room temperature for 3 days.

GLUTEN FREE RED GRAPE POLENTA CAKE Makes one 9-inch round cake. ½ cup Sorghum Flour ¼ cup Chickpea Flour ¼ cup Tapioca Flour ½ cup Yellow Corn Meal ½ tsp Xanthan Gum 2 tsp Baking Powder ¼ tsp Sea Salt 2 large Eggs ⅔ cup Sugar ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil ¼ cup Canola Oil ⅓ cup Milk or Dairy Free Milk of choice 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 tsp Lemon Zest - finely grated 1 ¾ cups/10 ounces) Red Grapes - washed and dried Ingredients Directions 1) Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by greasing it. I lined mine with a cake cardboard (that I greased) so that I could transfer the cake easily off of the bottom of the springform pan and onto a serving plate. 2) In a small bowl add the flours, salt, baking powder and xanthan gum and whisk together well. Set aside. 3) In the bowl of a stand mixer add the sugar and eggs and beat on medium speed until light in color. (I accidentally added the sugar to the oil, so I just mixed the oil, eggs and sugar all together until light in color. If you actually follow the instructions from the original recipe it might come out even better than mine.) 4) Add the oil by streaming it into the egg mixture while the mixer is running on low speed. After all the oil has been added turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix for a minute. 5) Add the milk and lemon zest and mix on low until blended. 6) Add the flour, ½ cup at a time and mix in on low speed after each addition until all the flour is incorporated. Mix on low speed for another two minutes. 7) Add half of the grapes and fold into the batter by hand. 8) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place the pan on a baking sheet. 9) Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top the cake with the rest of the grapes, distributing them as evenly as possible over the cake. 10) Return the cake to the oven and bake an additional 40 minutes. (Mine took 60 minutes. I topped the cake loosely with foil during the additional 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.) The cake is done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or when the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. 11) Cool the cake in the pan. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake and loosen the rim of the springform pan. If you baked the cake on a cake cardboard you can easily lift the cake onto a serving dish. If you did not use a cake cardboard you can transfer the cake, still on the bottom of the springform pan, to a plate for serving. 12) The cake will keep at room temperature for 3 days.