Winter would just feel too hard without one things: citrus. Well, winter would also feel hard without Mardi Gras but that’s just us, down here, living our truths.
There’s an order to things in the world. As the holidays come to a close, as we pack up our ornaments and lights and send the Christmas tree off to be recycled, as a chill and maybe a few anxieties settle into the new year – just when we need a bright light and a kick in the pants we are blessed with winter citrus. Queen among these blessed fruits – the gorgeously pink grapefruit.
Dreamy any which way. Particularly lovely when broiled with brown sugar. Considered a diet tonic when enjoyed just a juice. What can’t a grapefruit bring us? This latest rendition : a loaf of a cake. Simple and sweet and poppy seeded.
Every cake that comes out of a loaf pan I consider an everyday cake – the kind of cake you can eat at any time of day, everysingleday. Actually, I feel that way about every cake, no matter the shape but it’s an especially slippery slope when cakes are loafed. It’s science.
We’ll start by coaxing as much sweet, bright, and bitter grapefruit flavor out of the fruit. It starts with zest and granulated sugar. The oils in the zest will add so much grapefruit essence to this cake.
Run the zest into the sugar. We’ll know it’s worked when the entire bowl is fragrant and the sugar begins to clump together thanks to the oils.
Whip in the eggs.
This is when it gets velvety.
You can whip by hand, with a whisk and a little elbow grease OR you can use a set of electric hand beaters. Whatever feels easy for you.
Add melted butter to the sugar and egg mixture.
Beat to emulsify and add a splash of vanilla extract.
In a little bb bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
We’ll mix half of the dry ingredients into the creamy butter, sugar and egg mixture.
Whip until juuuust incorporated.
Time for yogurt. Thick whole milk Greek yogurt. The good stuff.
Add a few tablespoons of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice to the mixture to kick up the flavor.
Whip until smooth. You’ll know it’s right because the batter will become increasingly irresistible.
The last of the dry ingredients along with a tablespoon of poppy seeds.
I think this loaf bakes up best in a pan slightly shorter and more narrow than a 9×5-inch pan. This pan is 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch pan. I filled the cake until the batter to 2/3 of the way full.
I know a 9×5-inch pan is more standard and makes for a very lovely loaf so please feel free to bake your heart out in that pan!
Bake to golden and risen, until the kitchen smells like an actual dream come true – usually about an hour in the oven.
Cool to room temperature and glaze with a thick grapefruit yogurt frosting.
Sprinkle happily with more poppy seeds just after glazing so they stick.
The cake is tender and poppy seed spotted. The simplicity is what makes it so satisfying. Sweet and grapefruit. Sliced thick and appropriate with both morning coffee and afternoon tea. It’s the sort of cake you wish were always on the counter and ready this time of year – as though grapefruits could just flip themselves into this cake with the blink of an eye.
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 1 tablespoon finely grated grapefruit zest
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 5 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling
- For the Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease an 8½x4½-inch loaf pan, preferably metal, with butter or non-stick baking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides, and lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray as well. Set the pan aside.
- Place sugar in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, work grapefruit zest into granulated sugar until sugar starts to clump and mixture is very fragrant.
- Beat in the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla on medium speed until light and thick, about 4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in half of dry ingredients, until just combined. Beat in the yogurt and grapefruit juice until combined. Mix in remaining dry ingredients followed by and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50–60 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack.
- Whisk powdered sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice and 1 tablespoon yogurt, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and let sit until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.
- Enjoy at room temperature with hot coffee. To store the cake, keep it well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Julia
I made this – to be frank, I think it was a fail as a “grapefruit” cake. The grapefruit flavor was completely lost – and I even used extra zest. It just tasted like a moist, sweet cake to me. Still searching for a grapefruit cake that actually tastes of grapefruit.
Anupama Chopra
Looks Awesome… Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.
ann
My cake is in the oven so I can’t yet speak to how much I like it (but based on others I’ve made from this site I’m sure I’ll love it). I agree with a previous commenter that the proportions in the frosting must be incorrect. Mine isn’t as white as Joy’s, nor as thick making me think it needs more powdered sugar -or a lot less juice. Also, I think the instructions should specify that you need to have the cake cool completely out of the pan and on the rack before frosting. The way it reads now doesn’t state that; although it is indicated if you look at the photos (which I normally don’t bother doing).
Annika Craig
This recipe doesn’t say when to add in the sugar rubbed with grapefruit zest. Should it be beaten in with the eggs and butter, or stirred in with the yogurt & dry ingredients? Thanks!
Alison
Made this last night and love it. Came together really quickly once the grapefruit was prepped. I had 2% greek yogurt on hand instead of full, and that caused no problems. I used two smaller pans instead of one larger (I think mine are ~3 cups each and were 2/3 full at least). I baked on 350 for 45 minutes initially and kept in for another 5 after checking and finding them mostly cooked. Top was browned/lightly crisp (my personal favorite) after cooling and when I cut into these the crumb was really fine/nice with the bread holding together well.
One thing on the instructions I found unnecessary was all of the pan prep. I simply buttered and floured my metal pans the way I would with any quick bread and these came out easily after cooling briefly, running a knife around the edge, and tapping the bottom.
Didn’t frosten as I didn’t want the extra sugar for breakfast, so can’t comment on that part!
Marly
I made this today and it’s delicious! However, a couple things: 1) The glaze was much runnier than in the photo, so next time I’ll simply add yogurt and g’fruit juice as needed to get the consistency I want; and 2) As someone else said, I baked it in the 8.x by 4.x pan and it bubbled over the top of the pan.
Question: How would you modify this recipe for high altitude? We live at 7000′.
KK
I think the vanilla would overpower the grapefruit. Maybe use a bit less almond extract instead? Or some kind of citrus extract.
And there is too much liquid for the glaze to look like the photo. I would add yoghurt and/or grapefruit juice just until you have the desired consistency.
Nancy
I made this and have two comments: I don’t think I agree with putting the rack in the top third of the oven. The top browned quickly and the body of the cake was very pale. I would put the rack in the middle. The glaze was very runny and slid off the loaf. I believe the icing sugar measurement is possibly supposed to be 1 cup rather than 1/2 cup. The cake had a great flavor, however!
Jody
Nancy. I’ve just made this, and I did put it in the middle rack and it came out fine. I had the exact same problem with glaze. So next time, because my husband loves this cake, I’ll do sugar + yogurt + some grated grapefruit peel, mix it, then add 1/2 teaspoon of grapefruit juice one at a time until I get the viscosity I’m looking for. Hopefully, that will work.
Elsie
do you use the scoop or spoon method when measuring flour?
Elsie
Would in taste good without the frosting?
Inke
The instructions to use a smaller 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan didn’t work out for me. I knew while scraping the batter in the prepared pan that it was too full, but because of these instructions: “This loaf bakes up best in a pan slightly shorter and more narrow than a 9×5-inch pan. This pan is 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch pan. If you bake it in a pan slightly larger pan the loaf will just be a bit shorter in stature but taste equally lovely.” I decided to stick with it. Bad decision. Instead of a lovely cake small, pretty soon bubbled over and burned batter was the smell that came from my kitchen. Too bad. Taste was good, but not worth cleaning an oven…
Tara HInojosa
Crazy question here, could I use a spring form pan instead of a loaf pan, for some ridiculous reason I don’t have a loaf pan??????????
Lori
I love lemon loaf cake, but I think grapefruit sounds lovely, too!
dana
I’m not a great baker, but this called to me and I made it! My icing looks nothing like yours, though! It’s nearly opaque, and not at all white (or attractive). I can’t figure out why, other than my clumsiness.
andi
The same thing happened to me. I looked up other sites recipes and the amount of powdered sugar called for needs to be increased (probably doubled) in order to obtain the consistency and vibrant color shown in her photos.
Jayne
Is it possible to use self-rising flour for this recipe? If so, should the baking powder and soda be eliminated? Thank you!
Linda T
Any thoughts on using Skyr (Icelandic yogurt) instead of Greek yogurt?
Donna c
I am a grapefruit junky! Anything grapefruit I have to try! Last time is was in NOLA it was grapefruit sorbet. Yum! Thanks for sharing this!!
amy
oh my goodness. this looks DELICIOUS and a welcomed bright treat in the thick of our winter here in montana! excited to bake this and enjoy every bite.
Shannon Skinner
This looks and sounds so delicious! Definitely going to be making this soon as I’m sure it will be a hit with my family x
Shannon | https://shannonmichelle1.blogspot.com
A
Could I use lemon?
Karene taylot
Could I use coconut yogurt instead of Greek yogurt in this recipe?