Description
This Moist Vegan Grapefruit Loaf Cake combines the fresh zest and juice of pink grapefruits with a tender, vegan crumb. Perfectly balanced with a sweet citrus glaze, this loaf is a delightful treat that’s dairy-free, egg-free, and bursting with bright flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- Zest of 2 pink grapefruits
- 100 ml pink grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
- 100 ml soy milk
- 190 g golden caster sugar (superfine)
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 100 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Glaze
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 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-inch loaf tin and line it with parchment paper to ease removal of the cake once baked.
- Make “buttermilk”: Combine freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice and soy milk in a jug, stir, and let it sit for 10 minutes. This mixture mimics buttermilk’s acidity to aid baking.
- Flavor the sugar: Add grapefruit zest and golden caster sugar to a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture feels moist and fragrant.
- Wet ingredients: Stir in vegan Greek-style yogurt, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the zesty sugar mixture and whisk until combined. Add the prepared vegan buttermilk mixture and whisk again until smooth.
- Dry ingredients: Gradually add the sifted flour, baking powder, and sea salt to the wet ingredients in two batches. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined and no visible flour pockets remain, avoiding overmixing.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. To encourage a crack along the top which improves texture, place thin strips of vegan butter or use a knife dipped in olive oil down the center of the batter. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 50 to 60 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick which should come out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, grapefruit juice, and vegan yogurt in a bowl until smooth. Place a parchment-lined tray under the cooling rack and drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, adding more or less depending on your sweetness preference.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice for the best flavor; store-bought juice may alter the taste and acidity.
- Golden caster sugar is preferred for its fine texture and slight caramel flavor but can be substituted with superfine sugar.
- Vegan Greek-style yogurt provides creaminess; plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt can be used as a substitute.
- The olive oil keeps the cake moist and adds subtle fruity notes; you can use a neutral oil if preferred.
- The strips of vegan butter or an olive oil-lubricated knife create a desirable crack on top, giving the cake a lovely rustic look.
- Ensure not to overmix the batter to maintain a light and tender crumb.
- The glaze adds a sweet citrus finish that complements the grapefruit flavor perfectly.
