This recipe takes some early fall ingredients and turns them into a tender and moist cake. Roast the citrus before squeezing to get the most juice and flavor. The roasted grapefruit slices, along with some fresh thyme, make for a colorful garnish.
Ingredients
- 3 medium red grapefruits
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup nonfat yogurt (nondairy yogurt can be used)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for roasting grapefruit
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or avocado work fine)
- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, from roasted grapefruit
- 2 tablespoons grapefruit zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, from roasted grapefruit
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 thin sliced rings roasted grapefruit
- Thyme sprigs
Instructions
1. To roast grapefruit: Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Zest 2 grapefruits and reserve zest for the cake batter. Cut zested grapefruit in half and place cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Slice remaining grapefruit into 1/8th-1/4-inch rings and place on baking sheet. Divide 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar between cut halves and slices of grapefruit.
3. Roast grapefruit slices for 15 minutes until the sugar is caramelized. Set aside for garnish. Roast grapefruit halves cut side up for 20-25 minutes until the sugar begins to caramelize. Let fruit cool enough to handle, then juice grapefruit halves and strain out the pulp and seeds.
4. To make thyme simple syrup: Combine water, 1/2 cup grapefruit juice and remaining light brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil until the sugar has dissolved. Place two thyme sprigs in the syrup and steep for 1-2 minutes. Don’t steep any longer as the flavor will become too bitter. Set syrup aside.
5. To make cake: Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Lightly coat a 9 x 5” loaf pan with nonstick release spray. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour in pan to lightly coat bottom and sides; tap out excess.
6. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dark brown sugar, grapefruit zest, oil, eggs, yogurt, remaining roasted grapefruit juice and vanilla until well combined and emulsified.
7. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Combine gently, trying not to overmix, as that results in a more dense and tough cake. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly to corners. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
8. When done, remove cake from oven and let rest in pan until cool enough to handle. Remove cake from pan onto serving platter. When cake is completely cooled, cut into 8-10 slices. Drizzle about ½ cup of simple syrup over sliced cake. Garnish with roasted grapefruit slices and thyme sprigs.
TIP: Leftover simple syrup can be used as a craft cocktail ingredient.
