Grape and almond sweet wine cake
Serves: 12
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Kris Kirkham
Grape and almond sweet wine cake
This cake makes a great dessert with a dollop of whipped cream and a little glass of sauternes on the side
Serves: 12
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
404Kcal
Fat
20gr
Saturates
8gr
Carbs
46gr
Sugars
4gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
6gr
Salt
1.7gr
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Ingredients
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 200g light brown sugar
- zest of 1 lemon, grated
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 4 medium eggs
- 225g self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 75g ground almonds
- 250ml sauternes
- whipped cream or crème fraîche, to serve (optional)
For the topping
- 100g light brown sugar
- 100ml sauternes
- 250g red grapes, halved
- 25g flaked almonds, toasted
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm springform cake tin.
- Put the butter, olive oil and light brown sugar in a free-standing mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla bean paste and beat again, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and ground almonds, then slowly mix this into the cake mixture a third at a time, interspersing with a third of the sauternes each time, until you have used up all the flour and sauternes and have a smooth, soft batter. Transfer to the cake tin, level the top and bake for around 1 hour, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the tin for 15-20 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool. The cake can be served just warm or cooled to room temperature.
- To make the topping, put the sugar and sauternes in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the grapes. Simmer the grapes for 2-3 minutes, until starting to soften, then remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Continue to cook the sauternes until very syrupy. Remove from the heat.
- Place the cake on a serving plate. Spoon over the grapes, then scatter with the toasted almonds. Drizzle with the sauternes syrup then slice and serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche, if using.
