Melt In Your Mouth Beaumes de Venise Wine Cake

You are going to fall in love with this Beaumes-de-Venise cake.  This cake hails from a little village in the Vaucluse department of France, deep in the heart of Provence.  The name of the village is, you guessed it, Beaumes-de-Venise.  This cake is originally made with a sweet fortified dessert wine that is produced there. 

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My mouth starts watering every time I even think about this cake.  The first time I made it, my entire family asked for more.  It is such a delicious cake.  Because of the added wine and fruit, the interior stays moist, while the sprinkle of granulated sugar on the top makes for a crunchy outside crust.  Delicious!  

What Wine Can Be Substituted for Beaumes de Venise Wine?

As I said before, Beaumes de Venise wine is a sweet, fortified wine that is made exclusively in that area. It is hard, if not impossible, to come by in the United States.  But, don’t worry, any sweet wine will work. Muscat, Sauternes, or Cotes du Rhone are good substitutions.  I used Lillet in this recipe, which turned out really tasty!

Choosing Fruit for this cake

Beaumes de Venise cakes are traditionally made with muscat grapes.  I used red, seedless grapes in this recipe.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about baked grapes, or a grape cake.  But, this cake is delicious!  I love the flavor combination of the citrus zest with the grapes and wine. Because of the wine and fresh fruit, the end result is a super moist cake.

If grapes really aren’t your thing, you can try substituting chopped fresh peaches, fresh apricots, fresh cherries, or fresh blueberries.  You can also use dried fruit like dried figs, or dried apricots. If you do use dried fruit, I recommend warming the wine and then soaking the dried fruit in the wine for about 30 minutes before putting it in the cake.

This recipe calls for lemon zest as well as orange zest which both bring out the flavor of any added fruit.  Don’t skip these. They really add to the overall flavor profile of the cake.

Preparing The Cake Pan

This Beaumes-de-Venise cake is best made using 9-inch diameter springform pan.

Preparing the pan is simple.  Place a 9-inch round piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the sides and the bottom of the pan with extra virgin olive oil.  The olive oil creates a golden brown crust that perfectly compliments the moist interior.  

Preparing the Ingredients

Be sure to have the large eggs and unsalted butter at room temperature.  Butter always incorporates better when soft.  Also, it needs to be soft in order to become fluffy when mixed with the sugar.  This gives the cake its fluffy consistency.  

Take your large eggs and unsalted butter out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you are ready to use them to allow them to come to room temperature.  If you forget, you can always use these quick tips to temper them.  

• For the unsalted butter:  Place the butter on a plate.  In a microwave set to 50 % power, heat it in 15 second increments until soft.  Be careful not to overheat!  

• For the large eggs:  Fill a large bowl with warm water and submerge the cold eggs into the water for about 5 minutes.  

Making the Beaumes de Venise Cake Batter

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment is the easiest way to mix the ingredients.  A handheld electric mixer can also be used, but it will take some time for the unsalted butter and sugar mixture to become fluffy.  So, you might get tired.  

Once the unsalted butter, sugar, and large eggs are incorporated in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour mixture in increments, alternating with the wine.  

The chopped grapes should NOT be mixed in using the stand mixture.  Instead, fold the chopped grapes into the batter with a spatula. This will prevent the grapes from being crushed, and it will also keep the cake batter nice and fluffy.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and then smooth the top.  Next, place the grape halves onto the top of the cake batter, and arrange them in a pretty design.

Baking The Beaumes de Venise Cake

Once the cake batter is in the prepared cake pan, it is ready to be placed in a preheated oven. Bake the cake according to the recipe.  Check for doneness with a wooden pick.  When it comes out clean, the cake is ready.  

Then, dot the top of the cake with 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle the surface of the cake with a couple of tablespoons of sugar, and place it back in the oven for 5 more minutes.   This will create a nice crust on the top of the cake. 

Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before removing it from the springform pan.  Before removing the cake from the pan, run a knife along the sides, to gently loosen it.  Open the springform pan to release the cake, remove the bottom and parchment, and allow it to finish cooling on a wire rack. 

Serving The Beaumes de Venise Cake

This Beaumes de Venise cake is best served warm or at room temperature.  It can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.  

This is a great recipe for breakfast, or for afternoon Goûter. It is really delicious served by itself, but it would also be tasty with a drizzle of warm apricot jam over the top.  Of course, whipped cream is always a nice addition to any cake.  

I hope that you enjoy this classic Provencal cake! It is really unique and quite delicious.

If you liked this recipe, check out this Classic French Butter Cake recipe!