24 August 2007
Do you ever buy a grapefruit, thinking how nice it will be to wake up the next morning and have it for your breakfast? And then that next morning rolls around, you look at the fruit and sigh. 'If only,' you think to yourself, 'this grapefruit were more loaf-shaped and tasted of cake.'
There, that's better. I made this for afternoon tea, not for breakfast, though. Cake for breakfast! Imagine! I would never.
I tweaked Nigella's recipe for Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake, and I would probably continue tweaking if I were to make it again. Too much butter/margarine.
Grapefruit Loaf Cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
110 g sugar (a little over 1/2 cup -- I used 70g granulated and 40g brown)
2 eggs
zest of half a pink grapefruit
1/2 tsp vanilla
410 g all purpose flour (a little over a cup)
1 tsp baking soda
a pinch each of cinnamon, ginger, and salt
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
Beat together the butter and sugar, add the eggs, zest, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients and continue mixing while you add the grapefruit juice, until well combined.
Spoon the batter into a greased loaf ban and bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (I think I actually baked for only 35 minutes).
I'm not planning on drenching my cake with syrup (which you could make with 1/4 cup grapefruit juice and a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar), but I probably will make a simple icing to drizzle over once the cake has cooled.
I've never understood the obsession of grapefruit for breakfast - we see it on a lot of American tv shows. It just doesn't do it for me!
Now.... grapefruit cake - that's another thing!
How was it?
I'm a first time visitor and I'm really enjoying your site - I saw "dutch baby" on your Flickr - is that its real name - do you have a recipe lurking somewhere on your site?
posted by freefalling at August 25, 2007 01:38 AM
Anna, hello!
I was just posting to Lisa Solomon the explanation of my absence at all your blogs, hope over to read it on her recent comments (letterpress print post) if you can. But it reminded me I never finished answering you Q's! I'm so sorry, truly, my memory has been awful. Is it too late? Is there a deadline?
The grapefruit bread looks so yummy, like madeira cake in it's smooth softness. I've finally been having a little smooth softness from Sainsbury's freefrom range, wheatfree white bread. It's full of all other kinds of nasties but good for a treat. The croissants actually taste of croisant, all buttery and almost fluffy, despite no wheat or dairy. Joy.
Miss reading you lots, but the LS comment explains a bit of why I can't be trusted near loved blogs. Kisses to you and all the animals! xxxx
posted by cally at August 27, 2007 07:20 PM
That looks much better than just a grapefruit. Yum!
posted by Oiyi at August 27, 2007 08:31 PM
Hello Anna,
I've been a silent reader of your blog for over 2 years and enjoy your beautiful photos and crafts ... but to be honest, I read mostly because I realize you work in the publishing industry, and that highly intrigues me. I'm in postgrad now, but hope to step into the pub. industry soon, and I was wondering if you could give any advice on how to gain an internship/experience (in particular, in the Scholarly/Academic pub. industry - even though I know this is not really your field). In general, is the job market a lot worse now for this field? Also, do you think it is 100% necessary to know publishing design computer programs (Quark, etc) for entry level jobs?
Anyway, would love to hear from you by email; thanks in advance for any help!
:) Jan
posted by J at August 27, 2007 08:32 PM
I always seem to have a grapefruit floating around, so this recipe looks great, I'll definitely give it a go:)
posted by Paula Sealey at August 27, 2007 08:50 PM
hello lovely anna!!
i was in the mood for baking today and came across your post on grapefruit cake.
i baked it this afternoon and it turned out beautifully. i used organic eggs and sugar, which proved to add additional tastiness. thank you.
ps: i hope to see you soon!!
posted by elyse-krista at August 27, 2007 11:11 PM
that is my favourite nigella cake... grapefruit you say? must try that.
posted by Monica at August 28, 2007 01:18 PM
What a wonderful idea!
posted by Sweensie at August 28, 2007 05:48 PM