Almond Grape Tea Cake

For cake three out of four for the Cake for Every Pan challenge, I present you with Martha Stewart's Almond Grape Tea Cake!  Baked in a square loaf pan, everyone will want to call this bread instead of cake.  I am totally on board with that, because it makes it acceptable to eat this sweet treat for breakfast!

I happened to bake this cake up just in time for my family's annual Labor Day camping trip to NH.  One morning with breakfast, we cut up slices and toasted them on the camp stove.  This cake, served warm with a side of hot chocolate is one of the best camping snacks we've tried.  Even if you don't see yourself eating this fire-side, I recommend baking it up next time you're enjoying breakfast or brunch with some of your own sweeties :)

Cake for every Pan Challenge #3 - great success!

     

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food:

Need:

• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups slivered almonds (not salted, totally plain.)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• zest of one whole lemon
• about 15-20 grapes cut in half

Do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Spray your loaf pan with non-stick spray
• Beat butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar on high for 3 minutes (make sure you time it!)
• Beat in eggs one by one.
• In a food processor, pulse almonds with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until you have a fine, home-made flour.  
• Mix your almond flour into the butter mixture until combined, then add your vanilla and lemon zest.
• Pour the batter into your loaf pan and smooth out the top.  
• Arrange your grape halves ontop of the batter, pressing them in gently.  I did a chevron pattern, Martha did polka dots, you can do whatever you like!
• Bake for about 1 hour, and then let cake cool on a wire rack.
• Enjoy!