Double Glazed Ruby Red Grapefruit Pound Cake

By David TisueBaking, Desserts, Entertaining, Tea Time
Grapefruit Pound Cake title page

Tangy, Tender Crumb, And Delicious This Ruby Red Grapefruit Pound Cake Will Make Any Occasion A Better One!

Grapefruit Pound Cake slice

This time of year I always think of baking with citrus. And yes there are a ton of recipes for all kinds of tangy and delicious lemon, lime and orange baked goods out there. But not many can be found using grapefruit. Grapefruit is by far my favorite citrus fruit. I love the bitterness of it. To me, grapefruit tastes fresh and lively. I always feel when I drink a big glass of grapefruit juice that my whole body has been refreshed. Hence my adoration of this big round fruit.

Overhead shot of grapefruit Pound Cake

I’ve wanted to make a grapefruit cake for a while, and have made a decent grapefruit chiffon. But I really wanted that strong grapefruit flavor. This cake fits that to a tee. It’s tart and full of grapefruit flavor. This cake would be incredible for any of your spring holiday gatherings or just anytime especially for tea. The crumb is soft and very moist due to the 1st soaking glaze. But to put this cake over the top, I decided to add a 2nd thick icing to cover this great cake.

Grapefruit Pound Cake with fruit and slice

It is important to use fresh juice in this recipe as the juice you get from a container is usually sweetened in some way and doesn’t seem to have all the fresh flavor from fresh. Besides, you will need to get the zest from one of the grapefruit. I used cake flour in this recipe as it makes cakes so very tender. You could substitute all-purpose flour (just add 2 tablespoons cornstarch for each cup of all-purpose flour) and still have a very tasty cake. The crumb would just not be quite so tender. The first attempt at making this cake the icing just wasn’t as white and creamy as I wanted. Buy adding a tablespoon of the sour cream, the icing became this thick and wonderful addition enrobing this addictive cake.

close up of Grapefruit Pound Cake

Grapefruit Pound Cake
Print
Double Glazed Ruby Red Pound Cake
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 

A tangy and vibrant Grapefruit Pound Cake Fit for The Holidays or awesome with tea!

Course: Baking, Bundt, Cake
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bundt Cake, grapefruit
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Cake
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
  • 2 tablespoons grated ruby red grapefruit zest
  • 1 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon reserved
For the 1st glaze
  • 1 cup fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
  • ½ cup sugar
For the 2nd Glaze
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream from the 1 cup
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Generously spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with non-stick spray, and dust with flour or spray with cooking oil and flour spray.
  3. Onto a big piece of wax paper sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and the salt. Or you can sift it into a bowl.
  4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
  5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
  6. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl and beat briefly again.
  7. Add the grated ruby red grapefruit zest, and ruby red grapefruit juice, mixing on medium speed until combined.
  8. Add the ½ the sifted flour mixture, mixing on medium speed until just barely incorporated.
  9. Add the sour cream, reserving 1 tablespoon for the glaze and just stir until mixed through.
  10. Stir in the remaining flour, mixing until it has just thoroughly mixed. Be careful not to over mix. But you want it to all be incorporated.
  11. Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan.
  12. Drop the pan from a couple of inches onto a countertop. To remove any large air pockets.
  13. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  14. Have a rack over a catch pan or a rimmed cookie sheet ready.
  15. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  16. While the cake is cooling, heat the ruby red grapefruit juice with the sugar on medium heat in a small saucepan or the microwave in a measuring cup until the sugar has dissolved. Maybe 30 seconds to a minute, stirring occasionally.
  17. When you invert the cake onto a rack, brush the 1st glaze all over the cake. Let the cake absorb all the glaze, picking up any leftover glaze that has dripped onto the catch pan and brush again to incorporate as much glaze as possible.
  18. Let the cake cool completely.
  19. When the cake has completely cooled, mix together the 2nd glaze ingredients and pour over the cooled cake, letting the glaze drip over the sides.

 

Grapefruit Pound Cake pin 1