Grapefruit Olive Oil Poundcake

Aside from chocolate desserts, a lemon cake is one of my favourite treats.  Since it’s also a citrus cake I thought I’d give this grapefruit cake a try, and I like it for the same reasons I like lemon cake – it is tart and sweet at the same time, and it is nicely moist.

This is the first recipe I am trying from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook that my sweetheart gave me.  And everyone who tried the cake liked it!

What you need for the cake:

1 & 1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons grapefruit zest

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

1/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (I used yogurt)

What you need for the syrup:

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

What you need for the glaze: (optional)

1 cup icing sugar

2 tablespoons grapefruit juice

pinch of salt

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Rub butter in a 9×5 inch pan, then coat it with flour.

2. Combine the grapefruit zest and the sugar in a large bowl.  Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingers to release the oils.

3. Whisk the oil into the sugar mixture until smooth.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time.

4. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a measuring cup combine the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of grapefruit juice.  Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top down, and tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.  Bake for 45 minute to 1 hour, testing with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.

6. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.  In the meantime, prepare the syrup.

7. In a small saucepan, combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1/3 cup grapefruit juice.  Cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

8. After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes and you have removed it from the pan, place it on a wire rack to cool.  Poke holes in it with a toothpick or skewer, then brush the syrup on top.

9. To make the glaze (although it would be amazing even without the glaze), combine the icing sugar, grapefruit juice and salt in a bowl and whisk until it is smooth.  Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and allow the glaze to drip down the sides of the cake.

Thank you Justin for the amazing photos!