A Spot of Sunshine

As my dear local readers are well aware, we were blessed with another 10'' of snow yesterday. School cancelled. Don't you think the DPW should just attach a snowplow blade onto the front of the school buses and get two jobs done for the price of one? I certainly think so.

I also think we needed a little spot of sunshine in the midst of such a wintery day. So I made a Grapefruit Yogurt Cake. It smelled so fresh, tasted so light that I was momentarily transported to a warmer clime. Momentarily. Then the dog came in for something like the twelfth time, and shook off all the snow.
 
I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, a great recipe and food photo blog. She adapted it from Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. If she lived in Maine, would she be the Booted Contessa?

Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 cup sugar, plus 1 Tbsp.

3 extra-large eggs

grated zest of one large grapefruit

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, plus 2 Tbsps.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Grease an 8 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
In another larger bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into batter, making sure it's well incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) placed in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup grapefruit juice and the remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Remove cake from pan, peel off parchment paper and carefully place on rack. Pour the juice/sugar mixture over the still warm cake and allow it to soak in. Cool completely.

Make a glaze with 2 Tbsps. grapefruit juice and 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar. Drizzle over cake, so some drips down the sides.

You could substitute any citrus fruit for the grapefruit. Lime would be delicious!