Grape Olive Oil Cake (Gâteau aux raisins)

Sometimes known as “Harvest Cake,” this Grape Olive Oil Cake has a special place in my heart. It’s incredibly moist and fragrant, with a delicate hint of orange zest and the delightful juiciness of fresh grapes in every bite. Inspired by Mediterranean home kitchens, this cake carries the charm of both French and Italian traditions, particularly from Provence, where olive oil and grapes are a way of life.

I love the use of extra virgin olive oil as the primary fat, instead of butter. It makes the cake wonderfully moist and helps it stay fresher longer than traditional butter-based cakes. The olive oil imparts a subtle earthiness, while the grapes burst with juicy sweetness, and the orange zest adds a refreshing, aromatic touch.

I especially enjoy baking this cake during the grape harvest season, from late summer through early autumn. It feels like a little celebration of the season’s bounty! This easy Grape Olive Oil Cake recipe with fresh grapes is a fantastic way to enjoy the harvest and embrace the cozy vibes of fall.

It’s versatile, too! Whether you’re serving it as a dessert, a breakfast treat or a snack, it pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea. If you’re hosting a gathering or simply craving something comforting, this moist Grape Olive Oil Cake is sure to make everyone’s day a bit sweeter.

Ingredients you’ll need for this Easy Grape Olive Oil Cake recipe.

Here is a detailed look at the ingredients you need to make this cake at home. And don’t skip my baking tips below! 

1. Sugar. White sugar is best here.
2. Orange. The zest of a whole orange infuses this cake with a vibrant, aromatic flavor. By rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers, you release the essential oils and moisten the sugar, unlocking the full potential of the zest’s flavor.
3. Eggs. You need 2 large eggs at room temperature.
4. Milk. Choose 2% or whole fat milk. Avoid skimmed, no-fat or lactose-free which won’t yield a great bouncy texture to the cake. Make sure the milk is at room temperature when you add it to the batter.
5. Olive oil. It adds a rich, fruity flavor and moist texture. Choose a good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
6. Flour, salt and baking powder. All-purpose flour is the way to go.
7. Grapes. My favorite grapes for this cake are Concord grapes, which are a variety of dark purple grapes known for their robust flavor. They have a sweeter aroma than your average grapes, which is why they are often used to make juice or jelly – especially in the United States – but I absolutely adore them in this cake. They are on the smaller size, and often seeded – though some varieties are seedless. Another great option is Thomcord grapes, a similarly dark and sweet variety, which helps maintain the authentic taste of the cake. That said, feel free to use any table grape variety—red or black—as long as they’re fresh, plump, and smooth. Just keep in mind that the flavor of the cake may vary slightly depending on the grapes you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to remove the seeds from the grapes?

It’s not necessary. I leave the seeds in, and they’re hardly noticeable in the cake. You might detect a slight crunch, but it doesn’t affect the texture or taste. If you’re concerned about the seeds, you can always opt for a seedless grape variety.

How long can you keep this cake?

This cake can be kept on the counter, in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze this grape cake?

Absolutely, this cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To do so, let it cool completely, wrap it well in foil, place in a freezer bag. When ready to eat, place it overnight on your countertop to thaw.

Audrey’s baking tips:

• You need a 9-inch (22.8cm) cake pan for this recipe.
• Use whole milk or 2%, avoid low-fat, skimmed or lactose free.
• Use an organic orange. Because we are using the zest from the peels, I recommend you use an organic orange.
• Make sure your eggs and milk are both at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start baking.

I hope you’ll love this Grape Olive Oil cake recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions or tips to share, please feel free to leave a comment. If you would like to try more baking recipes with olive oil, try my Olive Oil Lemon Cake or my Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake recipe. 

More traditional French Cake recipes to try: 

• Classic French Apple Cake 
• Chestnut Cream Cake (Gâteau Ardechois) 
• Chocolate Moelleux Cake 
• Classic French Pear Cake 
• Walnut Coffee Cake (Gâteau Grenoblois)
• Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake 
• French-style Fruit Cake 
• Apple Breton Pound Cake

Grape Olive Oil Cake (Gâteau aux raisins)

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

½ cup white sugar (100g), plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling
1 orange, zested
2 large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup milk (80ml) (2% m.f. or whole), at room temperature
½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ (185g) cups all-purpose flour,
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups (seedless) grapes, washed and dried

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C with a rack in the middle. Grease a 9-inch (22.8cm) cake with butter and lightly dust the edges with flour. Place a circle of parchment paper at the bottom.
2. In a large mixing bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together until the sugar moistens. Whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale and foamy. Then whisk in the milk, olive oil and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
4. Switch to a spatula and fold in about three quarters of the grapes (about 1 ½ cups) into the batter. Gently transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan. Dot the remaining grapes evenly over top of the batter and sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
5. Bake for 50 minutes, until golden. Transfer onto a cooling plate and let cool at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan.

The post Grape Olive Oil Cake (Gâteau aux raisins) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Parallely, this season also sees fresh grapes making their way into French kitchens and in our seasonal recipes. And among these famous grape harvest recipes, is the “Cailles aux Raisins” (Quails with Grapes). This classic French recipe features whole quails wrapped in bacon and served on a bed of cooked grapes. It is an exquisite dish, that is often made for big occasions.

A simplified, more approachable “Cailles aux Raisins”

As a way to make this “Cailles aux Raisins” recipe more approachable and easy to make on the daily, I came up with these Bacon-wrapped Chicken Breasts in Grape Sauce. The whole quails are replaced by simple chicken breasts draped in bacon strips and served on a bed of creamy grape sauce, made with crème fraiche, honey and spiked with sage.

I know boneless, skinless chicken breasts sort of have a reputation for being bland and dry. But in this recipe, they stay moist and flavorful when wrapped in bacon. The sauce is sweet and tangy thanks to the lightly blistered grapes and honey, yet mellowed down with the sage and smooth crème fraiche.

It is a delicious combination of textures and flavors, and a great recipe to easy your way into Autumn…

How to make these Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts in Grape Sauce

The recipe starts by salting the chicken breasts 2 to 3 hours before you start cooking (leave them on the counter). This allows enough time for the meat to fully absorb the salt, and results in evenly seasoned and moist chicken breasts. After that, the chicken then get wrapped in bacon, adorned with a fresh sprig of rosemary and baked in the oven.

If you have a meat thermometer, now is the time to use it – you want the inside of the breasts to reach a temperature of 165°F(74°C). Read my cooking notes below for more details on meat thermometers. Once the chicken breasts are cooked, set them aside covered with foil and start building the sauce.

In a large frying pan, caramelize the onions and garlic in butter and extra-virgin oil. Add the grapes (previously marinated in wine vinegar, lemon juice and zest) along with sage and honey. Cook them until fragrant and lightly blistered. Add the crème fraiche and stir to combine. Finally, nestle the chicken breasts in the sauce and cook for a few extra minutes until warmed through.

My Cooking tips:

• Make sure you salt your chicken beforehand (2 to 3 hours before), to allow the salt to penetrate into the meat. If you’re interested in knowing more about how salt is used to build and enhance flavor in food (especially for meats), I recommend the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat.
• Having been intimidated with cooking meats in the past, getting a meat thermometer has been a great tool to help build my confidence. Here is the one I have, if you’re interested in purchasing one. It makes it very easy to control the proper cooking of your meats, and you simply know the meat in done when it has reached the intended temperature.
• For the grapes, you can opt for white, red or a mix of both. I recommend you choose seedless grapes as this will make the dish more enjoyable in texture when eating.
• Although it wasn’t easy to find up until a few years ago, crème fraiche has now become common in grocery stores in Canada and the US. You can usually find it next to sour creams. Some of my favorite brands includes Liberte and Maison Riviera.

I hope you’ll love these Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts in Grape Sauce as much as I do! This is a simple yet impressive recipe that is perfect to ease your way into Autumn and enjoy the abundance of fresh grapes.

You can easily double the quantities to serve it for 8 people. It goes perfectly with a side of rice and/or simple French beans in butter.

You may also like:

• Chicken Marengo 
• Roasted Chicken with Dijon Herb Butter 
• Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
• One-pan Garlic Lamb Chops with potatoes and carrots

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pardonyourfrench on Instagram and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Breasts in Grape Sauce

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 12 voted )

Ingredients

4 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts (200-250g each)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
8 slices bacon
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

For the Grapes:
600g grapes (white, red or a mix of both)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15ml) red wine vinegar
½ lemon, zested and juiced

For the Sauce:
1 tbsp (14.5g) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ onion, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
1 tbsp (18ml) honey
1 sage leave, finely chopped
2 tbsp (29g) Crème Fraiche (35-40%MF)

Instructions

Make sure you read my cooking notes before you start.

2 to 3 hours before starting cooking, salt rub the chicken breasts on both sides. Sprinkle with black pepper and nutmeg, and leave on the counter. 

When ready, pre-heat your oven to 375°F/190°C (or 360°F/185°F for a convection oven).

Rinse the grapes thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towel. Cut about two thirds of the grapes in half, leaving a third of them whole. Transfer the grapes into a bowl, add salt, black pepper, vinegar, lemon juice and zest. Stir to coat the grapes evenly and set aside for about 30 minutes.

Wrap the chicken breasts with two slices of bacon each, tucking the ends underneath and slipping a sprig of fresh rosemary in-between. Set a cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet and transfer the chicken breasts with the bacon to the rack. Top each chicken breast with 2-3 dots of butter. Bake the chicken breasts for 30 minutes (or 25 minutes in a convection oven). If you have a meat thermometer, the chicken breasts should reach an inside temperature of 165°F/74°C. Set the chicken breasts aside, covered with foil.

In a large frying pan (no lid needed) over medium-heat, melt the butter with the EVOO. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is lightly caramelized. Add the grapes, honey and sage and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened (some grapes might blister and/or burst). Stir in the crème fraiche and cook for 5 minutes. Nestle the chicken breasts in the pan, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Serve immediately, with white rice and/or French beans in butter.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

The post Bacon-wrapped Chicken Breasts in Grape Sauce appeared first on Pardon Your French.

So, in celebration of this glorious season, I am sharing with you an old-school recipe that couldn’t be a better fit for this situation: a Grape Harvest Cake, from Moissac, France. 

This cake has a unique layered texture, made of a generous soft crust topped with a cushiony meringue-like topping – with loads of grapes nested in the middle.

(I don’t think I have ever had a cake similar in texture before!)

The original recipe for this Grape Harvest Cake is traditionally made with Chasselas de Moissac. A delicate variety of golden table grapes, hailing from the little town of Moissac, in the south-west of France (half way between the beautiful cities of Bordeaux and Toulouse). 

I have made the switch with red Concord Grapes from Ontario, and it worked perfectly. I am confident you can use whichever variety of table grape you might want (white or red), as long as they are fresh, plump and smooth.

Although at first, I was not sure what to expect from the cooked grapes, they turned out wonderful! Once baked, they became very tender and delectably sweet, with no acidity nor tannins. As sweet as candies, really.

A great rustic-looking Grape Harvest Cake from the French Vineyards that encompasses delicate textures and flavours…enjoy!

For more regional French cake recipes, check out the Apple Flan from Normandy, the Basque Cake or the Beaten Cake from Picardy.

If you try this recipe, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram. 

Bon Appétit!

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 hour 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

For the crust

2 egg yolks

100g white sugar

A pinch of salt

½ lemon, zested

250g flour

2 tsp baking powder

150g butter, at room temperature

750g grapes (red or white)

Filling

4 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp whole sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

250g sour cream

 

Instructions

For the crust:

Ribbon together 2 egg yolks with the sugar, salt and lemon zest (if you need, see this video on how to ribbon egg yolks)

Once you have the right consistency, add all the flour and baking powder and mix rapidly (with a spatula or wooden spoon).

Add in the softened butter and mix until just incorporated (do not overmix)

Spread the dough in a greased 9” round pan.  Take your grapes (that you’ve washed and dried off) and sprinkle them evenly on top of the dough. Set aside in the fridge while you prepare the filling. 

Preheat your oven to 350F.

For the filling:

In a mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, vanilla extract, cornstarch and sour cream.

Whisk the egg whites until they reach a firm peak. Fold them gently into the sour cream mixture.

Gently pour and spread the sour cream “mousse” on top of the grapes.

Bake for 1h and 15 minutes (after 1 hour, check the cake and add a piece of foil on top of it, if you notice the top is browning too fast).

Let cool to temperature on a cooling rack before taking out of the pan.

The post Grape Harvest Cake from Moissac appeared first on Pardon Your French.