If there is a cake that just tastes like summer, this is it! I made my grapefruit cake yesterday and oh did it ever taste summery and light and terrific.
Ingredients (this makes 2 8×8 cakes):
2 large grapefruits
3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 splash vanilla
2 of the 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350*. Butter and flour the baking pans.
Juice one of the two grapefruits. You should get at least 1 cup of juice, probably closer to 1-1/2 c.ups.
“Supreme” the other grapefruit. ‘Supreme’ just means to remove each section of the fruit from all the pulp, pith, seeds, etc. You just want the juicy ‘meat’ of the grapefruit only. If some of them (or in my case, most of them) don’t make perfect, completely intact pieces, that is *fine*!
In the Kitchenaid, beat together the butter and sugar until light. Add each egg to the bowl and let it incorporate before adding the other. Add 2/3 cup grapefruit juice plus all the milk and vanilla. Now stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Don’t overbeat, but make sure it is all very well mixed together:
Place half the supremed grapefruit pieces in the bottom of each baking dish (you’re saving the other half to toss over the iced, completed cake):
Pour the batter in each baking dish. You can spread this out with a spatula if you like:
In the oven for 30-45 minutes at 350*. In the meantime, make the icing and it can be refrigerated until the cake is cooled off from the oven.
To make the icing, use another Kitchenaid bowl (or wash the one you just used) and mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, and two cups confectioner’s sugar. Taste and add more c/sugar (and/or more juice) until it’s perfect.
With the icing spread over:
Toss the top of each cake with more grapefruit sections, and it’s ready!
