Oh hey, 2021! Since my last post, which was over a month ago, some exciting events have taken place in my life. To start, I celebrated my 31st birthday at the end of December and although that probably doesn’t sound all that thrilling to anyone, I’m a huge proponent of celebrating anything and everything, especially during a pandemic. The day featured my favorite things: breakfast pastries, a beach hike, Mexican food and good cocktails. Secondly, and much more importantly, I got engaged! On a very normal Thursday, Alex and I went for a walk around our beautiful neighborhood here in Portland, and before I knew it, Alex was down on his knee asking me to spend the rest of our lives together. It was very low-key, very intimate and exactly how I would have wanted it. I’m beyond happy.
With February just around the corner, I’m glad that we’re almost out of the “healthy phase” of the year, where people give up things like dairy, alcohol or carbs… only to go straight back to it the moment January ends. I’m a huge believer in balance and try not to restrict myself when it comes to food, so I definitely don’t partake in anything like that. but to each their own. With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I wanted to give a simple cake recipe that you could whip up for yourself, a loved one, friends or even coworkers (for those not working from home at the moment). Today’s Grapefruit Poppyseed Yogurt Cake doesn’t scream Valentine’s Day like chocolate does, but I think it’s something that can definitely be enjoyed on the holiday for breakfast or dessert, as well as any other day of the year.
In previous posts, I’ve made it abundantly clear that I love citrus season, which we’re in the thick of right now. I always take full advantage of the season whether I’m snacking on tangerines, juicing Cara Cara oranges to drink with breakfast, or making tons of salads with fresh lemon juice as part of the dressing. Grapefruit will always be a favorite fruit of mine and when it comes to desserts, I think they add a little something more special than a typical lemon or orange. Side note: Did you guys know that eating grapefruit while on certain medications can prevent the medicine from being effective?! Alex informed me of this last week while I was working on this recipe, and I honestly had no idea. Google it!
Alright, back to the cake. I added poppy seeds to not only give the cake a nice look, but of course for the added texture. Usually, we’re familiar with lemon poppy seed recipes (like my Lemon Poppy Seed Buttermilk Waffles) so I thought it’d be a nice change to see the seeds paired with a different citrus. This cake also has Greek yogurt, brown sugar, and vegetable oil: all things that will lead to a beautifully moist and flavorful cake. If you’re not a Greek yogurt fan, you can definitely use plain yogurt as a substitute; all I ask is that you stay away from the flavored varieties with added sugars and whatnot. Additionally, you can use full or nonfat yogurt… I tend to always have nonfat Greek yogurt in my fridge for breakfast, but I sometimes have the whole fat variety for when I plan on making tzatziki. Use what you got! If you’re in a pinch, even sour cream could work.
Lastly, the cake is finished with a very simple glaze - confectioners’ sugar mixed with grapefruit juice - but if you’re aiming for this to be more of a breakfast item, maybe think about skipping it? Or don’t, and savor the extra sweetness with a cup of coffee and enjoy your life.
P.S. For a similar cake, you can also try my Blackberry + Hazelnut Yogurt Cake, which has honey as an added sweetener.
Grapefruit Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake
Makes (1) 9x5 loaf cake
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tbsp. grapefruit zest
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. ground cardamom, optional
3 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup plain Greek or regular yogurt, preferably whole milk, but nonfat works
1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy
2 to 2 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Directions
Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf cake pan with either butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, poppy seeds, grapefruit zest, baking powder, salt and cardamom (if using) together until combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together and then add all the other cake ingredients - brown sugar, yogurt, grapefruit juice, vegetable oil and vanilla extract - and whisk until thoroughly combined,
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated, avoiding over-mixing. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a cooling rack.
Make the glaze:
Once the cake is cooled, whisk the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tbsp. of the grapefruit juice. If the glaze is too thick, add more of the juice, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle the glaze all over the top of the cake. Enjoy!