Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake

Whip up this super moist glazed grapefruit bundt cake to make the most of citrus season. With a triple effect of the flavor – zest in the cake batter, a grapefruit-infused simple syrup, and a simple glaze drizzled on top – this is the perfect cake for anyone who loves grapefruit or other citrus.

Citrus is, without a doubt, the gift to see us all through the depths of post-holiday winter.

Although it is funny, if I’m being honest with myself, even a few short years ago, I’m not sure I actually could have told you when citrus season occurs, or what it entails, beyond possibly clementine oranges. I’ve grown so much in the kitchen and learned so much, to include far more than I once knew about eating seasonally and making the most of what’s good, when it’s at its best. And there’s no looking back!

So, this cake. It’s amazing. I know we all hate the word moist, but there’s no getting around it in this instance. This cake is moist. It’s light. It’s fluffy. It sings with bright citrus zest and juice.

Although this is, indeed, a cake, I’d like to assure you that a slice with brunch or a fancy breakfast is entirely justified. In fact, It would be absolutely perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch.

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How to Make A Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake

Best of all, this is a simple, accessible recipe; although there are a couple of steps, each is very straightforward.

First, you’ll make the cake batter. Simple and routine – mix the dry ingredients, separately mix the wet ingredients, combine, and scrape into your bundt pan. If you have a 9-inch bundt pan, that would work best. Mine is a 12-inch pan, and while it worked fine, you can see that the cake isn’t quite as high as it might be.

*Tip – Rubbing the grapefruit zest and sugar together may seem like an unnecessary step, but it really infuses the sugar evenly and beautifully with the citrus flavor. It only takes a minute and will pay off!

Then, let the cake cool for 20-30 minutes in the pan before the moment of truth: inverting the bundt pan and crossing your fingers that the cake slides out intact.

As you can see if you scrutinize the photos here, I did not have a lot of success with this on this occasion – there are several cracks and rather large crevasses in there! I was making this to take to a party, though, and didn’t really have another option, so I just carried on, and am glad I did. That glaze on top is pretty good at papering over any little divots, and friends tend to be pretty understanding when you come bearing glazed citrus cake. 🙂

*Tip – My friend Julie over at Bunsen Burner Bakery recently compiled this amazing list of bundt cake tips, based on her experience making a bundt a month for all of 2017. I can’t wait to put some of these to the test – maybe my next bundt will be crevasse-free!

Then you’ll make a simple syrup of sugar and grapefruit juice, prick the baked cake all over, and spoon over the syrup. This makes the already moist cake even softer and even more full of sweet citrus flavor. Heaven!

Finally, you’ll whisk together powdered sugar and more grapefruit juice to make that oh-so-forgiving glaze, and spread it on top. Extra generously where needed! 😉

*One More Tip – This cake recipe works just as well with any other type of citrus – in fact I made it last year using blood oranges, and only did grapefruit this year because I hadn’t yet found blood oranges for sale and was too impatient to wait! So if you prefer the flavor or oranges, blood oranges, lemons, you name it, go ahead and make this cake as-written, just swapping out the citrus of your choice where it calls for grapefruit zest and juice.

More Breakfast Recipes to Try:

• Peanut Butter Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Bars
• Mini Frittatas with Chorizo and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Frittata with Spinach, Gouda, and Parmesan
• Five-Banana Banana Bread

Let me know if you’ve tried this glazed grapefruit bundt cake or any other recipe on the blog, and then let me know how it went in the comments below, and don’t forget to rate the recipe. I love hearing from you!

Enjoy! ♥

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4.82 from 11 votes

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 pieces

Bake this super moist glazed grapefruit bundt cake to make the most of citrus season! The perfect recipe for brunch, Mother's Day, or afternoon coffee cake.

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Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⅔ cups (333 grams) granulated sugar
• zest of 1 large grapefruit
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk at room temperature
• ¾ cup (175 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Syrup:

• ½ cup (125 ml) grapefruit juice
• ⅓ cup (68 grams) granulated sugar

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup (114 grams) powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• additional grapefruit zest for garnish if desired

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Generously butter and flour a 9-inch bundt pan; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and grapefruit zest. Rub the mixture together with your hands for 1-2 minutes, until evenly-combined.
• Add the eggs, and using the whisk attachment of a hand or stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is thick and creamy. 
• Beat in the milk, followed by the oil and the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, and beat on low speed just until combined. 
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• Let cake cool for 20-30 minutes on a wire rack, then invert the pan onto a cake plate or platter and allow to cool completely.
• To make the grapefruit syrup, combine grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes. When the cake has been cooled and inverted, prick the top all over with a toothpick, then generously spoon over the syrup.
• To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and grapefruit juice. Begin with just 1 tablespoon of juice, then add more a small amount at a time until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Pour glaze over cake, sprinkle with additional zest if desired, and serve.

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Notes

1. Cake can be stored tightly-wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If making ahead, prepare through adding the simple syrup, then add the glaze and zest within an hour or two of serving for the prettiest appearance.
2. Recipe slightly adapted from The Baker Chick and Tracey's Culinary Adventures, who originally adapted it from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 390 kcal, Carbohydrates: 61 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 29 mg, Sodium: 214 mg, Potassium: 134 mg, Sugar: 45 g, Vitamin A: 75 IU, Vitamin C: 3 mg, Calcium: 55 mg, Iron: 1.2 mg

Author: Monica

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grapefruit bundt cake