I baked this cake over the Easter weekend. It was my new baking experiment for which my in-laws were the guinea pigs.
The problem with new cake recipes is that you can never taste-test them prior to presenting them to your adoring, dessert-awaiting, crowd.
Unless you stealthily sneak a little bite from the underbelly of the cake…
…but I would never do that!!!…(?)…*coughs*…
So after having baked and “magically”-quality-controlled the new cake, I swiftly decided that the new kid on the block would, invariably, make all of the neighbourhood girls swoon.
This cake straddles the line between sweet and tart and would make for a wonderful Spring or Summertime dessert. In our case, it provided a lovely alternative to an otherwise chocolate-laden Easter.
It was, instantly, a hit with everyone at the table, and will, assuredly, make a reappearance in my kitchen very soon.
Grapefruit Cake with Grapefruit Buttercream
Adapted from the Pastry Affair
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 2 grapefruits
3 large eggs
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup kefir (or yogurt, or more sour cream)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (approx. 1 grapefruit)
3 cups cake flour (spoon 6 Tbsp cornstarch into a large measuring cup and fill with all purpose flour until the 3 cup mark is reached)
1-1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar and grapefruit zest with your fingers until fragrant. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix in sour cream, kefir, olive oil, vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup grapefruit juice (reserve the other 1/4 cup for later).
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/4 cup grapefruit juice on top on the cake layers, allowing the juice to soak into the cake. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Grapefruit Buttercream
Ingredients
1 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
Zest of 2 grapefruits
6 cups powdered sugar
Milk or heavy cream
Directions
1. In a small saucepan, bring grapefruit juice to a boil and simmer until it reduces and thickens to about 1/3 cup. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and grapefruit zest until smooth. Mix in the reduced grapefruit juice. Gradually add powdered sugar until incorporated and smooth.
3. Slowly add milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Assemble: layer the cake with the buttercream and refrigerate until ready to serve.