Mini Citrus Almond Cakes with Grapes

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. 

Are you participating in Melissa’s Produce Family Baking Challenge where you can with over $5000 in prizes?  If not do you want to join in?   Get all the information you need right here.  I was sent a box of Melissa’s Produce in order to participate in the challenge but all opinions are my own.

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 ¾ 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!

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Mini Citrus Almond Cakes with Grapes

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 27 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

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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Ingredients

• ½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
• ½ c. sugar
• ¼ c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• zest of one orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 c. flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ c. almond milk
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice
• 2 ½ cups Winter Crunch® grapes washed, dried and quartered
• clear sanding sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
3. Add in the eggs and mix well.
4. Stir in the orange zest, vanilla, and almond. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
7. Add the almond milk and orange juice and stir until combined.
8. Fold in the grapes.
9. FIll each muffin cup with the cake batter. Sprinkle the tops with clear sanding sugar if desired.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Before removing from oven, broil the tops for 1-2 minutes to get a nice golden brown top.
12. Remove from oven and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Melissa's Produce

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