Some recipes have no real story, no history or emotional meaning. My grandmama didnt make this cake for us while we sat on the porch and listened to her hum. My mom didn’t make this for us when we came home from school. And this cake doesn’t compliment an upcoming holiday.
This cake came into my life because Trader Joe’s always makes me buy more than I want/need. Yes.
I wanted to make this drank BADLY, so I went to the store to buy ruby red grapefruits because I was envisioning a blush colored drink. I drink in colors! So, I walk in and the yellow (less cuter) grapefruits were sold individually, while the ruby red grapefruits were sold in a big bundle. Ugh. I bought the big bag of cuter, pinker grapefruits. After I made the drink, I found myself with three pretty grapefruits that had no home.
So, I baked ’em.
This cake is cake–it’s dessert, most definitely. But it’s a healthy…ish. There’s less sugar than most pound cakes (I think) and instead of butter and buttermilk there’s yogurt.
The grapefruit is so bright, floral and packs a refreshing punch. Into it!
The thyme is cooked with grapefruit juice, sugar and a splash of water. The thyme steeps in the syrup while the cake bakes in the oven. This results in a syrup that’s so flavorful and herbaceous.
I poked a few holes in the top of the cake a few minutes after it came out of the oven and then poured the thyme/grapefruit syrup on top. The syrup seeps into the cake and makes it SO moist and awesome. Not soggy. Just moist.
(Moist is a bad word around here but I literally didn’t know what else to use. So, I’m sorry.)
While the cake is cooling, a grapefruit and sugar glaze is made.
(I know I promised this to be healthy but that’s why I added the “ish.”)
And yes, if you noticed that I took a slice of the cake (on the right), pre-glaze, I’m here to confirm it. I did. It was awesome without the glaze! So, the good news is that if you wanted to skip it, you totally can.
I enjoyed this cake when it was warm as the syrup was soaking in. I enjoyed it room temperature with some coffee. And I even enjoyed it the next day, after dinner while standing in my (sort of) cozy kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 cups white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated grapefruit zest, 1 grapefruit
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Cake Syrup:
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice, 1-2 grapefruits1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons reserved cake syrup
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 5-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs and grapefruit zest. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, to a small saucepan, add grapefruit juice, sugar, a splash or two of water and the thyme. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside so the thyme can steep, about 30 minutes. Strain and set aside.
- To make the glaze, add two tablespoons of the grapefruit/thyme syrup to a bowl. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
- When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Using a skewer, pierce a few holes into the cake's top. Pour the grapefruit/thyme syrup on the cake and allow it soak in. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and garnish with a few sprigs of thyme.
51 Comments
Oh wow, it looks so moist and packed with great flavors and I love your food styling and props and the colors!
Love this! I haven’t had good pound cake in forever.
OOHH, I Love thyme pound cake, I’ve tasted it in the south of France years ago and never found the recipe! Have you tried it without the grapefruit?
xx Le Grumeau
I haven’t. But there’s no reason you couldn’t just leave out the grapefruit zest and call it a delicious “yogurt pound cake.”
This is such a fabulous bread to wake up to! What an awesome flavour combo!
This looks so beautifuuuuuul!
Can you please, for the love of god, tell me where that wood
cutting board is from???
Oh! Michael’s Craft Store. I think was like $8.
I love how moist this looks and your pictures are so pretty!
Oh goodness, stop it with this business, I need this now!
pink grapefruits are my fave–it’s the cuteness that gets me. I love an herbal addition to dessert! and the colors happening here are my fave, LOVE!
Thanks, lady! xo
I am supposed to bring a pound cake for a brunch tomorrow… will be making this! I love the flavors here!
Oh this is the perfect pound cake for a brunch. Hope everyone loves it!
I recently made this yogurt cake with lemon and then orange. I “accidentally” found out that 1/3 cup of oil was enough. The citrus syrup keeps it moist for days and days (I skipped the glaze). Love your creative grapefuit and thyme version. Your pics are so pretty to look at.
The additional fat (i.e., the oil) is just to give some extra moisture, but I totally agree, since it has the syrup it’s all good with or without it.
This is fab A! Thyme glaze pretty genius pairing. I can’t totally hear your voice when reading these posts. Do u write the way u speak? Nonetheless ur soooo cute 🙂
I can is what I meant 🙂
I think I do! UR CUTE TOO! XO
Looks incredible! Will definitely have to try this 🙂 I love the idea of including herbs in sweet cakes. A couple of years ago I made lavender cake (ok not a classic herb, but you know…) and it tasted really good too 🙂
This sounds absolutely delicious and reminds me of a french lemon yogurt cake that I make. I once tried it with blood oranges and it turned out literally hot pink. I think I’ll go the grapefruit route next time.
HA! Why is the word “moist” so creepy? I once heard Robin Williams’ performance in Patch Adams described as “moist” and have never felt the same since.
But this cake does indeed look incredibly m**** and delicious. Simple syrup is a huge ace in the hole with cakes, isn’t it? Okay, saving this one. Thanks.
Oh gawd. I need to watch this then!
Just the from the title; I was hooked!
I love herb syrups, I have one coming up soon too! But I love them more on top of cake fo’ sho!
What an interesting twist to traditional pound cake, LOVE the combination of grapefruit and thyme! 🙂
I’m in south Texas and the ruby red grapefruits from the Rio Grande Valley are KILLER right now. I’m going through, like, 3-4 a day. Breakfast, snacks, juicing them, and making your wonderous Sparkling Grapefruit Rosemary drank with lots of gin!
Oh I’m jealous! I’ve made these two recipes and I’m not over grapefruits. Not one bit.
I am having a current obsession with grapefruit too. I love that you paired grapefruit and thyme together. Sounds amazing.
Love this combo of flavors. Have to try this one. Happy weekend!
Making this for my mahj game at the beach tomorrow.
I’m always looking for new pound cake recipes! Can’t wait to try this.
freelyronnie.blogspot.com
I made this today and it filled the house with a wonderful, warm fragrence that just perked us all up on a snowy Canadian afternoon. Will have to fight the locals off so it sits undisturbed until dinner is done … in the meantime, it looks lovely sitting on the counter. Thank you so much for sharing your creations!
I completely forgot to add the oil (oops!) and it is still SUPER DELICIOUS!
Grapefruit cake! This is new. 🙂 Imma have to try this out when grapefruits go on special around these parts.
[…] Grapefruit Yogurt Pound Cake with Thyme After you’ve consumed your nutritious and tasty salad from above, you can happily indulge in a slice of this not so nutritious cake. But for what lacks in the health department, it totally makes up for in flavor. Grapefruit is zesty and totally screams spring, and when paired with tangy yogurt and herbaceous thyme, it’s such a winning combination. […]
Thyme is so underused in desserts though it goes wonderfully with such flavors. This is such a lovely cake!
Your photos are just stunning and your cake sounds delicious!
You had me at Grapefruit!! I’ve been looking for way to include more herbs in baking, and your cake is a sure winner! I might even venture and add some thyme to the cake. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Adrianna
I was wondering how strong is the thyme in the syrup glaze.
I would say it’s mild. If you want it less mild, then you can steep it for less time or leave it out completely.
[…] subconscious wouldn’t let the idea go, though. At home several days later, I came across A Cozy Kitchen’s grapefruit-thyme pound cake, which reminded me of that Ina Garten yogurt cake I’d bookmarked ages ago. And what do you […]
[…] everything I could get my hands on. First, there was this Grapefruit and Rosemary Spritzer and this Grapefruit Yogurt and Thyme […]
Wow! This sounds amazing…love the idea of using grapefruit! Beautiful photos too!
[…] Meal Four: I am going to count this Grapefruit, Yogurt, & Thyme Pound Cake as meal four, but it could easily be dessert (especially with  glaze!). I’m thinking I’ll make double the grapefruit thyme syrup and make a cocktail with it! […]
This cake looks lovely. I’ve never included fresh herbs in baked goods before, what kind of taste does It give the cake?
I would say it’s creamy, very citrusy and has a really great effervescent aroma from the thyme.
[…] cake is light and moist and so amazing. It’s much like this Grapefruit Thyme Yogurt Cake I made last year, but there’s no thyme, lemons are used in place of grapefruit, there’s […]
This cake looks incredible! Definitely going to serve it to my “healthyish” friends. I was wondering if Greek Yogurt would work in this cake?
Hmm…yeah I think it should be ok!
Could dried thyme be substituted for the fresh thyme?
Sure that can work!