Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Moist, zingy and bright. This grapefruit olive oil cake is a delicious slice of sunshine on a plate.  Dip any left over candied grapefruit slices in chocolate for a delicious snack.

Can you believe it's finally Spring here in the UK. Although you can be forgiven for doubting it; it's still too cold to venture outside without a scarf and there's more snow warnings on the horizon, but it's gotta be over soon. Right?!  Even a staunch Winter lover like me is so over the chill, I'm ready for denim jackets, floaty dresses and dare I say, ditching the tights for bare legs. Oh me, oh my!

Growing up in my house, grapefruit was always considered a breakfast food. I used to love sitting down to half a grapefruit, sprinkled liberally with sugar. I even had a dedicated, serrated grapefruit spoon. I was a cool kid, what can I say. This means, in my eyes, grapefruit olive oil cake is perfectly acceptable as a breakfast food.  Cake for breakfast guys, I found a loophole!

Since the weather is refusing to play ball I thought I'd create a little slice of sunshine right here in my kitchen.  It's hard to be sad when you're oven is pumping out the warm, citrus scents of this grapefruit olive oil cake.  Plus you get to feel like a real life Willy Wonker candying up some grapefruit slices, just make sure you're careful and don't let any kids in the kitchen, sugar gets real hot y'all.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

• For the Candied Grapefruit :
• 1 small grapefruit, sliced into rounds
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml water


• For the Cake:
• 200g caster sugar
• 225g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 175ml olive oil
• 55g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 grapefruit, zested and juiced
• 4 large, free range eggs
• 250ml soured cream


• For the Glaze:
• 300g icing sugar
• 2-3tbsp of the grapefruit juice from above

Cooking Directions:

1. First make your candied grapefruit. Fill a large bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes and set aside. Fill a large saucepan 3/4 with water and bring to the boil. Once at a rolling boil lower in the grapefruit slices and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the slices to the ice water to cool down.


2. In the same (empty) pan add the 150ml water and sugar and bring to a simmer, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the boiled grapefruit slices into the sugar water and simmer for 1 hour. Place each slice on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.


3. Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a loaf tin.


4. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar and grapefruit zest, mix until fragrant. While the motor is still running on the lowest speed add in the melted butter, olive oil, eggs and soured cream. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix until combined.


5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before removing to a wire rack with a sheet of baking paper underneath.


6. To make the glaze combine the icing sugar with the grapefruit juice in a large bowl. Add the juice a little at a time until you get a thick, pourable consistency. If it's too thick, add a little more juice. If it's too thin, add a little more icing sugar.


7. Pour the glaze over the cake, allow to set for 10 minutes then decorate with the candied grapefruit slices.

SHARE:

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

There are few things in life that make me feel as smug as overnight cinnamon rolls. A few simple steps the night before rewards you with the most satisfying breakfast ever, and don't get me started on how amazing your house will smell. That cinnamon laced fug is like a warm hug on a cold Winter morning. Talk about taking the whole Hygge movement to another level.

Whipping up a yeasted bake might seem a little daunting to some, yeast is a notorious son of a bitch to work with sometimes, but I've made these rolls tonnes of time now and they've never failed. Once, I prepped them after a girls night in, more than a few glasses of wine deep. Ahem. If I can do them drunk, a monkey could probably make them sober. Plus, morning after Katie was over the moon with tipsy Katie. That rarely happens....

I've made these rolls with butter and I've made them with margarine, honestly, there isn't an ounce of difference between the two. The only thing I noticed was if you make the frosting with marg it gets a wee yellow tinge, which isn't overly appetising. These days I prep the rolls with margarine and make the frosting with butter. Bish bash bosh. Anything to keep these damn rising butter prices down.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

• For the dough :
• 7g (1 sachet) active dried yeast
• 220g lukewarm, whole milk
• 100g caster sugar
• 75g margarine
• 2 large, free range eggs
• 480g plain flour


• For the filling :
• 200g light brown sugar
• 4tbsp cinnamon
• 75g margarine, softened


• For the frosting :
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar
• 50g cream cheese
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. To make the dough first pour the warm milk into a jug and stir in the yeast, set aside for 5 minutes to activate. You'll know it's working if the yeast has begun to froth.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook add the sugar, margarine, eggs, and flour and mix together. While the mixer is still running at the lowest speed, pour the milk into the dry ingredients in a slow, steady stream. Mix until everything is incorporated then turn the mixer up to medium and leave for 3 minutes.
3. Spray a large mixing bowl with olive oil and pop the dough into the greased bowl, cover with a sheet of oiled cling film and leave until doubled in size. This usually takes around an hour. Don't worry if it takes a little longer, just keep an eye on it.
4. Stir the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Grease a 9x13" high sided baking tray with butter and set aside while you prepare your rolls.
6. Roll your dough out on a lightly floured surface until you get a rectangular shape measuring around 19x15". Spread the dough with the margarine then sprinkle liberally with the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Take the longest edge of the dough and carefully roll it up into a long sausage. Cut the sausage in half then cut each half into six equally sized pieces. Place the cut rolls into the greased baking tray.
7. Wrap the baking tray in clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight. The rolls will continue to rise but at a much slower pace.
8. When you're about ready to bake your rolls remove them from the fridge and check if they've doubled in size. If not just leave them in a warm place for 30 minutes to puff up. Once they're doubled in size pop them into a preheated oven at 175°C and bake for 20 minutes.
9. While the rolls are baking, mix the butter, icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and spreadable. Once the rolls have finished baking, allow to cool for 5 minutes before spreading with the frosting and serve immediately.
10. The rolls can be kept, wrapped in cling film, for 5 days. Simply reheat for 30 seconds in a microwave.

SHARE: