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Devaki Das

Viennese Grape Streusel Cake



The really great thing about writing about food is that inspiration is everywhere. Sometimes a place, a taste, an ingredient and sometimes a person.


I've wanted to make Maria's Viennese streusel cake for a long long time ~ she writes at Maja's Viennese Kitchen


The truth of the matter is that cyber space is cluttered with millions of food blogs and some start off with a bang and then wither off within a year or so. Others start and then spin off into doing something completely different and so after a few years, the blog falls off. But there are some of us, who have been doing this for years. If you've been at it for more than 5 years, kind of like a business, chances are, you're doing what you were meant to do.


Those of us who started off at around the same time have been keeping an eye on our fellow kindred spirits. We're still here. That counts for a lot, doing what we do. Because the truth of the matter is, we're doing it against all odds - day in and day out; marriage, kids, jobs, travel, retirement, the list goes on. And though for some it is about monetary gratification, for many, it simply comes down to love.


It doesn't matter if we write a couple of times a week, weekly or bi-weekly. The bottom line is, you know we're going to show up.


So Maria and I have been keeping an eye out on each others posts for a long time. And often we'll get on there and write a thought or comment. And having tagged her recipe from way back when, I finally got off my hiney and made it. With some minor tweaks of course - reducing the sugar and tweaking the flour quantities etc.


Because that's what we do - we take what inspires us and make it our own. We take who inspires us, and write about them in a small but meaningful gesture. And what Maria does matters.

So without further ado, lets bake us some cake!


warmly,

Devaki


Recipe for

Viennese Grape Streusel Cake

Serves 4

Shopping list:

Streusel:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup (8 tbs)  chilled unsalted butter

½ cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp pure Vanilla bean paste

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup milk

½ tsp salt

2-1/2 cups red seedless grapes

Also use a 10” spring foam pan or a glass Pyrex baking dish


Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F.

Grapes: Separate the grapes from the stems. Discard any rotten ones. Wash and dry and set aside until ready to use.

Dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside until ready to use.

Eggs: Beat into a bowl with a fork, discard shells and set aside.

Spring foam pan: If using a spring foam pan, line with circular parchment paper. Glue to the base with non-stick baking spray.

If using a Pyrex glass pan, then spray with non-stick baking spray.


Method:


Streusel:

Use a food processor: add the flour and the cool butter – pulse a few times to create pea-size little balls.


Add the sugar and pulse only a couple of times to mix the sugar into the mixture.


Cake:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand in a medium bowl using a sturdy spatula, beat the butter with the granulated sugar & vanilla bean paste until light and fluffy.


Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, stopping the mixer between the additions and scraping down the sides.



On slow speed, add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the milk , then 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the remaining milk.


Mix only until they're just incorporated. Do not over mix.


Empty the creamy batter in a baking pan.



Smooth out and level with a spatula & spread the grapes over the batter.


Sprinkle the streusel all over the grapes.


Bake the cake for approx. 1 hour until the cake feels done when you press it in the center. A toothpick

inserted into the center should come out relatively clean.


Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.


Run a knife around the outside of the cake to help it release from the pan, and cool on a baking rack.


Serve warm or cool at room temperature.


Enjoy!


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