Upside Down Grape Cake with Balsamic Vinegar

This upside-down grape cake is a beautiful twist on a classic dessert. Made with sweet grapes, rich balsamic syrup, and a moist vanilla olive oil cake infused with rosemary, it’s a stunning seasonal bake with irresistible flavor.

Find more olive oil cake recipes here.

There is one fruit I enjoy cooking with that you may not associate with autumn: Grapes! My family has always enjoyed grapes, whether they are green, red or dark purple.

Several years ago we planted two grape vines in our small yard. Once we got the hang of tending to them, we ended up with pounds of grapes all summer long!

I have already shared a few grape recipes, like my homemade grape jam, homemade grape juice and a delicious grape apple crisp. Today I am sharing another delicious and easy dessert, an upside down grape cake.

Ingredients you need

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)!  Read my full disclosure policy

• Grapes: You can use green, red or dark purple grapes. Just choose sweet grapes. Dark purple grapes were used in the photos you see, creating a dark purple fruit topped cake.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I bake exclusively with extra virgin olive oil, so the base of the is made with it. When baking with olive oil, choose an oil that is mild in flavor instead of a peppery or pungent oil. You can also use neutral vegetable oil. You can learn more about baking with olive oil here.
• Yogurt: I love adding yogurt to my cakes because it produces a moist and fluffy cake. You can also sour cream.
• Eggs: You will need large eggs for this grape cake recipe.
• Rosemary: I added a bit of chopped rosemary into the cake. You don’t need much, as rosemary is very pungent. If you are not a fan of rosemary, you can substitute with mint, basil or omit altogether.
• Butter: The cake uses olive oil, but the grapes are browned in butter. I use unsalted butter in my baking so I can control the salt.
• Balsamic vinegar: Lots of choices with this addition! Choose a thick syrupy balsamic vinegar for the biggest flavor. You can also use flavored balsamic vinegar, just make sure it compliments the flavors in the cake. Do NOT substitute with red wine vinegar – it is NOT the same thing! If you don’t have any, you can omit it.
• Pantry staples: All purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar (light or dark), vanilla extract, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.

Step-by-step directions

1. Whip sugar. Whisk together sugar and olive oil until sugar is dissolved and mixture is fluffy. Add yogurt, eggs, rosemary and vanilla into the sugar mixture and whisk until well combined.
2. Add dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder and salt then whisk this into yogurt mixture until just combined.
3. Prep grapes. Wash and remove grapes from stem. Coarsely chop the larger grapes.

4. Melt brown sugar. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet then stir in brown sugar. Cook until sugar has dissolved into the butter and starts to melt.
5. Add grapes. Stir in the grapes and cook until softened. Gently press grapes down to release some juices. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cornstarch.
6. Bake. Slowly pour batter over the grapes and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Cool. Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan then run a knife blade along the sides of the cake. Place cooling rack over the cast iron skillet and carefully invert the cake. Keep the skillet over the cake until the cake cools then remove the pan and let the cake cool completely.

Recipe tips and FAQs

Upside down cakes are some of my favorite ways to show off fresh fruit. I have an upside down cake for every season, so you have no excuse. Enjoy an orange upside down cake in winter, a kumquat upside down cake in the early spring, a strawberry rhubarb upside down cake in the summer and a cranberry upside down cake in the fall.

You can even go camping and make a campfire dutch oven pineapple upside down cake.

Balsamic vinegar is a natural compliment to fruit. It’s sweet and tangy attributes add something special to desserts. Explore more ways to used this wonderful flavor like drizzling balsamic vinegar over ice cream, bake balsamic vinegar in a cherry pie and even baked in my blackberry scones.

Grape Upside Down Cake with Balsamic Vinegar

Laura Bashar | Family Spice

Cozy up with this rustic upside-down grape cake, made with sweet roasted grapes and a splash of syrupy balsamic vinegar. The vanilla olive oil cake is infused with rosemary for a uniquely fragrant flavor and moist, tender crumb.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Cakes

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 313 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 ¼ lb black or dark purple grapes
• 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
• 2 teaspoon thick balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Wash and remove grapes from stem.
• If grapes are large, coarsely chop, roughly quartering them and reserve.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together sugar and olive oil until sugar is dissolved and mixture is fluffy.
• Whisk yogurt, eggs, rosemary and vanilla into the sugar mixture until well combined.
• Mix flour mixture into yogurt mixture and whisk until combined. Reserve.
• Using a 9-inch cast iron skillet, heat over medium-high heat and melt butter.
• When butter is bubbly, stir in brown sugar.
• Cook until sugar has dissolved into the butter and starts to melt.
• Stir in the grapes and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Gently press down on the grapes with a spatula to release some of the juices.
• Stir in balsamic vinegar and cornstarch with the grapes.
• Remove skillet from heat. Slowly pour batter over the grapes, using a rubber scraper to spread the batter evenly.
• Place cake in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The top of the cake will be lightly browned.
• Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan.
• Run a knife blade along the sides of the cake to insure a clean removal. Place cooling rack over the cast iron skillet and carefully invert the cake. Keep the skillet over the cake until the cake cools, about 1 hour.
• Slowly remove skillet and allow cake to finish cooling to room temperature, about 30 more minutes, before serving.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Serve alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Not a fan of rosemary? Use mint or basil instead or omit altogether.

Cooking Tips: Green and red grapes can also be used for this cake, but the color may turn out differently.

TO STORE: Because your cake has wet fruit in it, you should store your cooled cake in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, foil or in an air tight container then keep it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you leave your cake on the counter, you will eventually develop mold because of the moisture in the fruit mix.

TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftover cake. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 178mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 192IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 1mg

Keyword grape cake, grape upside down cake, upside down grape cake

Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Be sure to tag @FamilySpice

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my eMail list, too!