Although winter and its abundance of citrus are somewhat behind us, I still had a fruit drawer with grapefruits that had nearly been forgotten. I ate one or two of them, and then decided I wanted to make a grapefruit cake. I had recently made a healthy lemon poppyseed cake, and had citrus desserts on the brain. Grapefruit is a more subtle flavor than lemon, so I wanted to pair it with another equally subtle flavor. And so, the Grapefruit Earl Grey Cake was born. I made a few versions, experimenting with flavors, before I found this delicious combination.

For the first batch, I added lemon juice, instead of grapefruit, to the glaze. While lemon glazes are generally delicious, the lemon flavor overpowered the citrus and earl grey notes in the cake. In another version, I added earl grey to the simple syrup, to amplify the flavor of tea. And finally, I found the perfect combination. A grapefruit glaze and earl grey syrup appropriately amplify the flavors that make this Grapefruit Earl Grey Cake moist, delicate, and a perfect pairing with tea.

Reasons to Love this Cake

Subtle and not overpowering citrus notes from the grapefruit
Not too sweet – with only a little sugar in the cake, the simple syrup and glaze don’t push the cake into “too sweet” territory
It’s moist

Notes

Mix the yogurt and milk together: I recommend mixing the yogurt and milk together, before adding it to the other liquids. If your yogurt is very thick, it can weigh down the cake if not well incorporated. Otherwise, be sure that the yogurt is well incorporated before adding liquids to the dry ingredients.
Make mini cakes or one larger cake: I have a handy cake pan that makes 4 small cakes in one batch. I’ve been using it a lot recently, so that I can more easily share the cakes I’ve been making, instead of eating them all myself. To make one cake, you can use a loaf pan, just keep in mind that you may need to increase cooking times.
Don’t be afraid to use grapefruit pulp: When juicing grapefruits for this recipe, don’t be afraid to use the pulp. I added juice, pulp, and zest to the cake batter to get a robust grapefruit flavor.

Earl Grey Grapefruit Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
1 tbsp zest (1 or 2 grapefruits)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp earl grey tea leaves, finely ground
1/2 cup oil

For the Syrup

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 tbsp earl grey tea leaves, finely ground

For the Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp grapefruit juice

Instructions

Earl Grey and Grapefruit Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking pan by rubbing the inside with butter and sprinkling with flour.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and earl grey tea leaves in a bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the eggs until light and frothy. Whisk in the yogurt, milk, grapefruit juice, oil, and grapefruit zest.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold the ingredients together until well incorporated. Be sure not to over mix.
Pour batter into the prepared pan (or pans). If using one pan, it will take about 45 to 50 minutes. Baking times will vary depending on your oven, and the pan you use. Reduce or increase baking time as needed. You know the cake is done when an inserted toothpick or skewer comes out clean. While the cake is baking, prep the syrup.
When the cake is done baking, transfer it to a wire rack.
While the cake is warm, use a tablespoon to slowly pour the simple syrup over the top of the cake, letting it soak in. Scooping the syrup by the smaller spoonful helps the cake absorb the syrup. Alternatively, you can use a pastry brush. After spooning the syrup, let the cake cool completely, at least an hour, before covering with glaze.

For the Earl Grey Syrup

Combine the sugar, water, and finely crushed earl grey tea leaves in a saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Set aside.

For the Grapefruit Glaze

In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice until well combined. The consistency should be slightly thick, like honey. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Ingredients for Earl Grey Grapefruit Cake

Earl Grey Grapefruit Cake

Grapefruit Earl Grey Cake