Description
A moist and flavorful vegan grapefruit loaf cake that combines the bright citrus notes of pink grapefruit with a tender crumb. Made without any animal products, this loaf is perfect for a refreshing dessert or teatime treat, featuring a luscious grapefruit glaze for an extra burst of zest.
Ingredients
Scale
Citrus Ingredients
- Zest of 2 pink grapefruits
- 100 ml pink grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
Wet Ingredients
- 100 ml soy milk
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 100 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 190 g golden caster sugar (superfine)
- 300 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 150 g powdered sugar (for glaze)
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon pink grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon vegan Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Lightly grease an 8″ loaf tin and line it with parchment paper sling to easily lift out the cake once baked.
- Make “buttermilk”: In a jug, combine the freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with soy milk, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes to curdle, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Flavor the sugar: Add the grapefruit zest and golden caster sugar to a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture feels slightly wet and fragrant.
- Wet ingredients: Into the sugar mixture, whisk in the vegan Greek-style yogurt, olive oil, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Then add the prepared vegan buttermilk and whisk again until smooth.
- Dry ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, and sea salt together. Add these dry ingredients in two parts to the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix and ensuring no visible pockets of flour remain.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place thin strips of vegan butter or use a knife dipped in olive oil down the center of the batter; this will help create a crack in the center as it bakes. Bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center — it should come out clean when the cake is done.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: While the cake cools, whisk together the powdered sugar, pink grapefruit juice, and vegan Greek-style yogurt until smooth. Place a sheet of parchment under the cooling rack to catch any drips, then pour the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Adjust the amount of glaze as desired for taste.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice for the best bright citrus flavor.
- Rubbing the zest into the sugar releases essential oils and enhances the cake’s aroma.
- The vegan buttermilk is essential to activate the baking powder and add moisture.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the cake light and tender.
- The strip of vegan butter or olive oil down the center encourages a beautiful crack on top, traditional in loaf cakes.
- Allow the cake to cool before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
