Here’s a light, citrusy, thyme scented little pound cake recipe that I came across and made last week.
I love starting with a basic recipe and knowing that I can change the flavors in and out to my liking, such as adding thyme.
The grapefruit really comes through and next time, I may go a little lighter on the thyme. Maybe.
Happy Thursday.
Grapefruit + Olive Oil + Thyme Pound Cake
{adapted from FROM THE LOVE OF THE SOUTH}
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups (190g) of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons (30ml) of grapefruit juice, plus 1/3 cup (80ml) for syrup
1/3 cup (80ml) of buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons of freshly grated grapefruit zest (from 2 medium-sized grapefruits)
½ cup (100g) of granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for syrup
½ cup (95g) of raw cane sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup (120ml) of olive oil (choose a mild olive oil, not extra virgin)
2 eggs, at room temperature
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×5” loaf pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a glass-measuring cup, combine 2 tablespoons of grapefruit juice and buttermilk (or yogurt). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the grapefruit zest, ½ cup of granulated sugar, raw cane sugar, and the thyme. Rub the zest and sugars together with your fingertips. Whisk in the oil until combined. It will be course in texture. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk until combined and smooth. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the cake batter, beginning and ending with the flour.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter a few times, releasing any bubbles in the batter. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with 1/3 cup of grapefruit juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
When the cake has finished baking, let it cool for 10 minutes and invert onto a cooling rack with a tray underneath. Poke holes in the cake with a skewer or toothpick and brush the grapefruit syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely while it absorbs the syrup. (I omitted this part and made the simple glaze instead.)
Serve the cake all by itself or create simple glaze to pour over the top.
Using 2 medium-sized grapefruits for this recipe usually makes enough leftover juice and zest for a simple glaze. Just whisk ½ cup of powdered sugar while slowly adding the leftover grapefruit juice until you have a smooth, thick glaze. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and serve!
Makes one loaf.
