grapefruit yogurt cake
We’ve torn into so many grapefruits this month, our fingertips have a near-permanent zest scent, I keep finding tiny juice capsules throughout the apartment and more pertinently, I have become fixated on finding a way to bring their bitter, sour-sweet flavor to a baked good. Unfortunately, my husband was convinced it wouldn’t work, and that it would be “weird.” Fortunately, I never listen to him.
In her latest cookbook, Ina Garten takes what I consider her best recipe yet — her lemon pound cake — lightens it up. Although I’ve already expressed my disdain for Food Networkian notions of “light food,” I’ll skip the there’s-no-hope eye roll and simply state that in comparing the new and the old recipes, the butter is replaced with an equal amount oil, one-third of a cup of buttermilk is replaced with one cup of whole milk yogurt, and an extra egg is added and in the lighter version. That said, just because it may not exactly mesh with whatever your notion of diet food is doesn’t mean that yogurt does not a wonderful cake crumb make.
I love the way she continues to put new spins on her classic lemon cake, with an orange version, and with chocolate chunks too. The trifecta of techniques — perfuming the cake batter with citrus zest, warming fresh juice juice into a soaking syrup, and draping the cake with a citrus icing — makes a powerfully flavored citrus cake that I wondered coupe be applied to grapefruit as well. (Lime and blood orange, you’re next.) The trick was trying to figure out how to adjust the replacement to really make the grapefruit flavor come forward, as it is more sweet and mild than lemon, less than orange and the zest has less… zing, couldn’t resist. (Secretly, I also hoped for a ‘ruby red’ tinge, but alas, not much luck with that one.)
I use more in the cake zest, less sugar in the glaze, and from our cake nibbles last night and another this morning, I think it did the trick. I’ve skipped the glaze when feeling lazy, though in truth it doesn’t need it for anything but show. The grapefruit shows up enough to announce its presence but not too brashly and the yogurt makes for a lighter, springier and more coffee-cake like crumb, and best yet, Alex has admitted he was misguided in his lack of faith. Like, duh.
P.S. These photos got a long-overdue refresh I do still love the glow of the original 2007 top image:
Grapefruit Yogurt Cake
I highly recommend zesting your grapefruit at the outset, then juicing it — you’ll need just shy of 1/2 cup total. One large grapefruit is *sometimes* enough for the whole recipe, but go ahead and get two to be safe. Any extra juice is refreshment for the cook, naturally.- 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (230 grams) plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- Finely grated zest from one large grapefruit
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable or another neutral oil
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Cake
Syrup
Glaze
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the zest and rub them together with your fingertips to extract as much grapefruit flavor as possible. Add yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, if using, to the zest-sugar, whisking to combine. Whisk the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, then whisk in the oil.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Make the syrup: While the cake bakes, combine 1/3 cup grapefruit juice with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small saucepan, stirring it over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
When the cake comes out of the oven, transfer it to a cooling rack, then pour or brush the grapefruit-sugar mixture over the whole cake. If it seems to resist absorbing, poking holes in the cake with a toothpick can help it better soak in. Let the cake cool completely on the rack.
Make the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice in a bowl, then drizzle it over the cake.
Do ahead: This cake keeps fantastically for three days at room temperature and close to one week in the fridge.
To one-bowl the cake recipe: Combine grapefruit zest and sugar in a large bowl and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers to release the most flavor. Add yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk until evenly mixed. Sprinkle surface with salt and baking powder and whisk until thoroughly combined, and then a few more times, to be extra certain they’re evenly dispersed in the batter. Add flour and mix until it disappears. Continue with baking and glazing instructions above.
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