Grapefruit Pound Cake

Is there anything more satisfying than biting into a dense, moist, citrusy pound cake?  Heaven I tell you. 

Pound cakes make me think of grandmas.  Don't all grandmas love a no-nonsense pound cake?  Grandmas love poundcake and can drink coffee at any hour of the day.  And don't all grandmas have a poundcake recipe always tucked in their brain and ready to pull out whenever necessary?  I know my grandma always did.  

She always made a poundcake in the shape of a sheep every Easter and piped on tiny little tufts of buttercream fur on the whole cake.  And then garnished with jelly beans, obviously.  

Grandmas are the best.  

My version of poundcake doesn't have tufts of buttercream fur but it does have a crackly sugar crust and a punch of grapefruit.  And it's just loaf-shaped with no jellybeans.  I think it comes in a solid second place to the sheep.  

I love giant thick slices with a big cup of coffee.  If you were feeling fancy you could even lightly toast a slice and add some freshly whipped cream.  But that would have delayed the slice making it's way into my pie-hole so I decided against it.  #priorities

Here's the recipe!

Grapefruit Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons more for sprinkling
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• zest of one grapefruit

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Liberally spray an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.  

2.  Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and all but 1/2 teaspoon of the grapefruit zest and mix to combine.  Turn the mixer to low and gradually add flour, mixing only until just combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

3.  In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and remaining grapefruit.  Pinch the sugar and zest between your fingers to incorporate into the sugar and distribute the oils.  Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer on top of the batter. 

4.  Bake for about 1 hour, checking after 45 mins or so and tenting with aluminum if it browns too quickly.  With a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with some moist crumbs, it's ready.  Allow to cool for 15 mins in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.  

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Enjoy!