This grapefruit loaf is a perfect Spring time treat; sweet-tart, sunny grapefruit makes the cake feel bright and a bit tart. It’s a great snacking cake to have with afternoon tea or coffee.
Poppy seeds add a little bit of crunch and a very mild nuttiness. They would more typically be used in a cake or muffins like this with lemon, but they are great with grapefruit as well. Adding layers of grapefruit-zest and juice in the cake, juice in the glaze, gives the cake depth and bright, zingy flavour.
Note: I had a little more batter than I needed, so I turned the extra into some little tea cakes. Use muffin tins or mini cake molds to use up any extra batter, and reduce the baking time accordingly. You can also boost the grapefruit-y-ness by pouring a little extra grapefruit juice over the loaf while it’s still warm from the oven and letting it soak into the cake before you glaze it.
grapefruit poppy seed loaf
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 tbs grapefruit zest
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup full fat yogurt
8 tbs fresh grapefruit juice, divided
1 tbs poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling
½ cup powdered sugar
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with parchment paper, hanging the excess over the sides. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, whisking together evenly.
Stir grapefruit zest and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix with paddle attachment until slightly clumpy. Add eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix on high for about 4-5 minutes until the mixture becomes thick. On low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture. Add in yogurt, and then add remaining half of the dry ingredients, mixing just until no flour streaks remain.
Mix in grapefruit juice and poppy seeds. Scoop batter in the loaf pan and bake for around 50-60 minutes. It’s done when the top is golden and the cake no longer jiggles. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean. Optionally, you can pour a couple extra tablespoons of grapefruit juice over the still-warm cake while it’s in the pan. Let it sink in completely and then remove the cake from the pan, running a knife around the two ends without parchment paper on them to release. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Mix powdered sugar with grapefruit juice, one tablespoon at a time. The mix should be fairly thick, but runny enough to drizzle off a spoon. Cover the top of the cake with icing and allow to drip down the sides. Sprinkle on extra poppy seeds if desired. Allow the glaze to set up and slice.