Upside-Down Red Grape and Star Anise Cake with Light Almond Cream
An original, aromatic dessert featuring a tender butter-yogurt cake topped with red grapes caramelized with honey, lemon, and star anise. It is finished with a light almond cream for freshness and contrast.
Ingredients
- 300 g seedless red grapes (cut por the mitad)
- 45 ml honey (for caramelizar)
- 115 g unsalted butter (90 g for the dough and 25 g for the molde and the fruta)
- 80 g brown sugar (divided)
- 2 unit star anise (whole)
- 1 cda lemon zest (finely grated, divided)
- 15 ml lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 180 g all-purpose flour (tamizada)
- 8 g baking powder
- 2 g salt
- 2 unit eggs (at room temperature)
- 120 g plain yogurt
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 40 g ground almonds (for the dough)
- 120 g cream cheese (for the cream)
- 120 ml heavy cream (cold)
- 20 g powdered sugar (for the cream)
- 2.5 ml almond extract (for the cream)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F. Grease a 22 cm (9-inch) round cake pan with 10 g (about 2 tsp) of the butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- 2
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 15 g of butter with the honey, 30 g of the brown sugar, the star anise, half of the lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until a light syrup forms.
- 3
Add the seedless red grapes to the syrup and cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently to coat them. Remove the star anise and arrange the grapes in the bottom of the pan. Pour the pan juices over them.
- 4
In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and ground almonds.
- 5
In another bowl, beat the remaining 90 g of butter with the remaining 50 g of brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla, plain yogurt, and the remaining lemon zest.
- 6
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined, without overmixing.
- 7
Pour the batter over the grapes and smooth the top. Bake for 34 to 38 minutes at 180 °C / 350 °F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 8
Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and carefully invert onto a serving plate so the grapes are on top. Let it cool slightly.
- 9
While the cake rests, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and almond extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- 10
Serve the upside-down cake warm or at room temperature with spoonfuls of light almond cream on each portion.
Chef tips
If the grapes are very large, cut them into quarters for a more even topping. Do not let the cake cool completely before unmolding, or the caramel may stick to the pan.
Substitutions
You can substitute black seedless grapes for the red grapes. Ground almonds can be replaced with hazelnut flour, and plain yogurt can be swapped for sour cream in the same amount.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
Illustrative imageVictorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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