Grapefruit and Thyme Olive Oil Cake
/This easy olive oil cake recipe features bright, citrusy grapefruit and fragrant thyme to give an elevated twist on a classic recipe.
I know that everyone and their mothers have said it, but 2020 has been quite a year. Between an election and a pandemic, things have felt wild and out of control most of the time this year and normal life just isn’t so normal anymore. Martin and I were chatting and reflecting the other night and it feels weird because this year has been so unexpectedly challenging for so many people, but for us, in our little bubble, it’s actually been a pretty good year. We’ve both been in fairly challenging work situations, but ones that have pushed us to really grow. We adopted sweet little Tahini this year, who has become the little furry joy of our lives. And somehow, we were able to continue saving money, scraping together enough to buy our first home. All of this sweetness doesn’t negate the exhaustion, though, so we took a little getaway. I’m writing today’s blog post from the very, very cozy bed of a little AirBnB on the beach and it’s just a dream. We’re sleeping in, and lounging by the pool, and drinking wine and it’s the most relaxed I’ve felt in a good, long, while.
So in the spirit of relaxation, let’s continue to chat about one of my very favorite topics: cake. I think that a good olive oil cake is a non-negotiable for any self-respecting home baker. They are quick and easy to throw together, endlessly adaptable, and just so moist and delicious that they rarely need extras like frosting or glaze. This one is thick, flavored with grapefruit and thyme and holds well for a couple of a days. A little note to remember about olive oil cakes—because they have a pretty high liquid content, they take a good long time to bake. If your cake is starting to brown too much while the middle is still jiggly, just tent it with a piece of aluminum foil. Also, I baked this in a deep 9” springform pan and any smaller cake pan will probably result in a very messy cake/oven situation. If you are baking this in a smaller cake pan, I’d half the recipe, or bake it in a rectangular 9x13” pan.
And just so I don’t forget, happy day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas Desserts!
Grapefruit and Thyme Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260 g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup (270 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- zest from two medium grapefruits
- 1/2 cup (115 g) grapefruit juice
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup (225 g) olive oil
- 1 cup (243 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9” springform pan with olive oil and line with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, fresh thyme, and grapefruit zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest and the thyme into the sugar until well-mixed. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the sugar mixture and whisk everything to combine.
- In another medium-sized bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together olive oil, buttermilk, grapefruit juice, and eggs until smooth and homogenous.
- Slowly pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and whisk until the batter is smooth and no clumps of flour remain.
- Pour batter into your prepared springform pan and smooth into an even layer using a knife or offset spatula. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cake is dark golden brown in color, the sides are beginning to pull away from the pan, and the center is set and no longer wiggly. (If the top is getting too brown, but the center is not yet set, you can loosely place a piece of foil over the top to slow down the browning.)
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before inverting onto a plate and serving.
