This is a cake that’ll have folk asking questions:
“Is that lemon I taste?” and “May I have another, please?”
Pink grapefruit juice and zest gives this recipe from the folk at Cooking Light a definite citrus buzz – but it doesn’t SCREAM grapefruit. By all means, do go ahead and use margarine and low-fat cream cheese to make it all ‘lite’, just don’t expect it to taste the way this cake did…
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
•2 cups flour
•1 tsp baking powder
•1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt, divided
•1-2/3 cup granulated sugar
•6 tbsp butter, softened
•6 oz cream cheese, softened
•2 large eggs
•1/4 cup canola oil
•2 tbsp grated grapefruit zest
(about 2 grapefruit)
•1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•1/2 cup milk
•1/2 cup fresh pink grapefruit juice
•1-1/4 cup powdered sugar
For the cake pan:
•1 tbsp flour
•1 tbsp solid shortening
•1 tbsp canola oil
First, prepare a 10 inch tube or bundt pan – I used this nifty little cathedral thing-y – by combining a tablespoon each of flour, solid shortening, and cooking oil in a small bowl and then brushing over the insides of the pan to coat evenly. Trust me, this works better than cooking spray or just buttering and flouring a pan.
Heat your oven to 325°
Whisk the flour together with the baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Cream the sugar with the softened butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the canola oil, vanilla, and grapefruit zest.
Stir in about half of the flour mixture, then the milk, and then the remaining flour; then turn the batter into your prepared pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until a wooden pick or skewer inserted comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes, then flip the pan over and tip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.
What did I tell you about that cake pan coating? Works a treat, no?
When the cake is cooled, prepare the glaze by bringing the grapefruit juice to a boil in a small pan and simmering for four minutes to reduce just a little bit.
Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the confectioner’s sugar, then drizzle over the cooled cake as you will.
Allow the glaze to set, then slice and serve to friends and family.
Talk about your tasty cake!
BTW, you’ll have at least one entire zested grapefruit leftover; try slicing it and popping the slices on the grill or under the broiler for a few minutes. You’ll be amazed at how tasty they can be all on their own. I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to adding a few slices of haloumi to the grill or broiler along with the grapefruit, either.
Hmmm, now you have your dessert, and one, if I may say so, fine appetizer possibility. All you have to do is think about what to make for dinner…