Grapefruit buttermilk cake is one of those desserts you never know you need until you make it. Even the flavors: they seem like they won’t work together, but instead, they are wonderful. From Wintersweet, by Tammy Donroe Innman, a charming book that focuses on seasonal desserts (including citrus!).
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:35]
Grapefruit Buttermilk Cake
Cake
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated grapefruit zest
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk
Syrup
1/3 cup (80ml) freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, from about 1/2 grapefruit
1/2 cup (70g) granulated sugar
Glaze
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 cup (65g) confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 325. Butter a 9 1/2-by-5 1/2 loaf pan. Tear out a sheet of parchment paper. Fold it in half or thirds so it can lie inside the whole width of the pan, ends hanging over the long sides of the pan. This paper hammock makes it easier to lift the cake out of the pan later.
For the cake: mix the sugar with the grapefruit zest in a small bowl, using your fingers to release the oils and rub them into the sugar
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar mixture until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and mix again.
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Alternate adding the buttermilk and the rest of the dry ingredients in halves to the sugar mixture, mixing until just combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl in between. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake the cake for 55 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden and puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
For the syrup: combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil the syrup 1 minute and then remove from the heat. With a toothpick or skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cooled cake. pour the syrup over the cake, a little at a time, brushing it with a pastry brush to ensure even soaking. When all the syrup has been added, let the cake cool completely. To remove the cake from the pan, lift up by the edges of the parchment paper.
For the glaze: Whisk together the grapefruit juice and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. You want the consistency loose enough to drizzle but not so it soaks into the cake. If it’s too thin, add more sugar. If it’s too thick, whisk in some water a few drops at a time. Drizzle the icing over the cake with a whisk.
