Tender mini citrus almond cakes are made with almond milk and flavoring with a burst of citrus from orange zest and orange juice then are studded with hearty Winter Crunch Grapes.
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Have you ever had Winter Crunch Grapes? They are a hearty grape that pack a ton of juice and have a great crunch. They are perfect for baking or cooking with because they don’t shrivel up or shrink when cooked.
I’ve never used them until this recipe. I actually combined two different recipes to make these Mini Citrus Almond Cakes with Grapes. While I call them mini cakes they are made in a cupcake pan but because they don’t have frosting on them I didn’t want to call them cupcakes. However, add a little frosting and you can have Citrus Almond Cupcakes with Grapes instead!
For this recipe you will need:
- butter
- sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- orange zest
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- almond milk (or any type of milk)
- orange juice
- Winter Crunch Grapes (or other hearty grapes)
I started by lining a muffin tin with cupcake liners. While you don’t have to use liners it always makes it easier to take the cakes out of the pan and I find that if you can find a liner that matches the flavor of your cake it’s a fun way to tell people what’s inside.
In a large bowl I combined the butter, sugar, eggs, and extracts. Then in a medium bowl I mixed together the dry ingredients. I alternated putting the dry ingredients and the milk into the butter mixture until well combined.
After everything is mixed well gently fold in the grapes. I quartered my grapes but if they are smaller you can just halve them instead. I wouldn’t leave them whole as they are pretty large.
Once everything is combined spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. If you want to give them a little sparkle sprinkle on some clear sanding sugar at this point then bake.
After the cakes have baked I used the broiler to get the tops golden brown. This is optional as you can just leave them as is but I find the golden brown color makes them more appealing.
The flavor in these cakes is delicate and fantastic. I could definitely taste the almond but it wasn’t overpowering at all. It complimented the sweet grapes and the orange flavor. I liked the little bit of crunch the sanding sugar added on top plus it just made the cakes look so pretty.
These would be perfect to serve at the holidays or at a winter gathering. The grapes in a cake are certainly surprise but it will be a pleasant one for all of your guests!
Tender mini citrus almond cakes are made with almond milk and flavoring with a burst of citrus from orange zest and orange juice then are studded with hearty Winter Crunch Grapes. Recipe adapted from Melissa's ProduceMini Citrus Almond Cakes with Grapes
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12 Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 4g
Teri @ The Freshman Cook
I love that you made these cupcakes, and the almond with the grapes is a great idea!
Amy (Savory Moments)
These look super good! I love these grapes and I bet these are delicious.
Liz @ Books n' Cooks
I’ve never baked with grapes before but now I want to. These look adorable and I love the almond-citrus combo!
Karen
These are very cute! Great adaptation of the recipe!
Cindy
Little treats like this work for me! That brown topping makes it even more inviting!
Wendy Klik
Love that you made these into cupcakes…of course, I would call them muffins and eat them for breakfast LOL.