Grapefruit Rosemary Bundt Cake

They say that a person’s palette changes about every seven years or so. Now, I don’t know if that’s true, and I don’t know who “they” are, but I do know that my tastes are definitely changing as I get older. And I’m not really sure how I feel about it.

I first noticed it a few months ago when I was eating dessert at a restaurant, like I’m prone to do, and I said the phrase “Oh, that’s rich!” (And not in the sarcastic/condescending way, either.) I put down my fork and ordered a black coffee. I needed a little bitter to cut the sweet or I wasn’t going to finish. Which wasn’t an option. I had never not finished a dessert.

It’s also translating into my drink preferences. Six months ago, I could’ve counted the number of times I’d enjoyed a pale ale or IPA (or APA or DIPA, whateva) on one hand. But all through fall, I had really been getting into pales.

And they were the inspiration for this cake. Not too sweet, grapefruit notes, and herby earthiness from rosemary. It’s divine, delectable, and delicately sweet. I easily ate an entire slice, and went back for another round.

Grapefruit Rosemary Bundt Cake

(makes 1 9-inch Bundt cake)

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary (from 3 or 4 sprigs)

8 tablespoon (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

½ cup canola oil

1 ½ cups sugar

2 grapefruits, zested and juiced

3 eggs, separated

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Grapefruit glaze, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour Bundt pan and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and fresh rosemary. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whipped the egg whites until peaks form, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the sugar and grapefruit zest, rubbing together with your fingers to infuse the sugar. Add butter and oil to grapefruit sugar and beat until light and airy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.

In 3 batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with milk, ending with dry. Scrape down the bowl as necessary, making sure the batter is smooth.

Take the reserved egg whites and slowly and gently fold into batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 60 – 75 minutes, until tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on rack for ten minutes before turning out and cooling completely. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Grapefruit Glaze

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Juice of two grapefruits

Whisk together ingredients, slowly adding grapefruit juice until desired consistency is reached. Pour over cooled cake.