This Grapefruit Pound Cake is dense, super moist, and delicious!! If you love grapefruit, you need to try this cake. It's topped with a grapefruit glaze to add the perfect amount of sweetness to this citrusy treat.
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Why I Love This Recipe
If you enjoy cakes that are moist, dense, and full of flavor, this Grapefruit Pound Cake recipe is for you! All you need is one large grapefruit and a few simple ingredients to bake this cake and you will have a special citrusy treat just like my Pink Grapefruit Dessert Bars.
The pink grapefruit I used tinted the cake and the glaze ever so slightly to create a beautiful pink hue just like in my Grapefruit Pisco Sour. As I mentioned, the cake is super dense and moist so don't expect it to rise too much, but do expect it to be delicious!
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
- Unsalted Butter - unsalted butter is always recommended in baking because you can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. Ensure the butter is at room temp to make it easier to cream with the other ingredients and create a smooth batter.
- Fresh Grapefruit Juice - grapefruit juice adds a tangy and citrusy flavor to the pound cake and enhances the rise and texture of the cake. Freshly squeezed juice is best and you can use any type of grapefruit you like.
- Grapefruit Zest: Grapefruit zest adds an intense grapefruit flavor to the cake.
Zest should be finely grated to avoid any bitter pith and don't forget to zest before you squeeze!
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Super-Moist Pound Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and set it aside.
Step 2: Place the butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl and beat until creamy. Add the eggs, grapefruit juice, and zest, and mix until combined.
Step 3: Add half of the dry mixture and half of the milk to the batter and mix in with a silicone spatula or spoon. Once combined, add the rest of the dry ingredients and the milk and fully incorporate everything.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, tap lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles, and bake for 42-45 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 5: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then put it on a cooling rack.
Step 6: Combine the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled loaf and allow it to set. Sprinkle with more fresh zest if desired.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh juice is best for flavor, but bottled juice works in a pinch. Try to find one without added sugar.
Place the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze this grapefruit pound cake. Ensure the cake has fully cooled and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and/or foil. Freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
Lemon, orange, or lime juice will work in this recipe. Swap the grapefruit juice and zest for your citrus of choice in equal amounts.
If you get a chance to make this Grapefruit Pound Cake Recipe, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Grapefruit Pound Cake
Equipment
- large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer
- silicone spatula or spoon for mixing
Ingredients
Grapefruit Pound Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- ½ cup fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
- ½ cup milk, room temp
Grapefruit Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. TIP: I used the wrapper from my butter and it worked perfectly!
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and set it aside. Zest the grapefruit and then juice it. Strain the pulp from the liquid, discard the pulp, and set the juice and zest aside as well.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer) and beat together until creamy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs, grapefruit juice, and zest and continue beating until everything is combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
- Add half of the dry mixture and half of the milk to the batter and mix in with a silicone spatula or spoon. Once combined, add the rest of the dry ingredients and the rest of the milk and fully incorporate everything.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, tap lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles, and bake for 42-45 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then on a cooling rack.
- Once the loaf has cooled, combine the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Immediately pour over the top of the cooled loaf and allow the glaze to set. Sprinkle with more fresh zest if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- Grapefruit juice and aluminum have a bad reaction together and create a bad taste in the bread so avoid aluminum tools when mixing the batter.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Karla says
I look forward to trying this recipe, I have a surplus of grapefruits. I’m baking this afternoon, I look forward to tasting it. The reviews make it sound delicious!
Emily says
Hi Carla, I hope you love this recipe, it's one of my favorites! I'm jealous of your surplus of grapefruits 😁 Enjoy!