Grapefruit & Almond Cake with Vino Cotto

It was the year 1988 when an American rock band called Guns N’ Roses, released their only US number-one single, Sweet Child o’ Mine. I always think of this song at this time of year when the grapefruit season is upon us… I think it is the song lyrics that does it. Maybe, your are like me and can vaguely remember the lyrics, which I think went something like this:

Oh, oh, sweet grapefruit of mine, there are so many it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood cooking memories

And if I’d stare too long undecided on which recipe

I’d probably break down and taste this delicacy.

Oh, oh, oh, time for a sweet grapefruit cake recipe.

Ok. Well maybe it didn’t go exactly like that, but with sweet childhood memories (and our lyrics playing) we searched old recipe books for delicious grapefruit cake ideas. And we certainly did find 2 classic citrus cake recipes for you!

Here is the first recipe for you to enjoy – a sumptuous Grapefruit & Almond Cake with Vino Cotto (gluten and dairy free as well).

• 3 cups ground almonds
• 1 cup hazelnut meal
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 5 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup honey
• 7 large free range eggs
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil (see South Australian Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• Finely grated zest of 3 grapefruit
• 1 cup grapefruit juice
• Vino Cotto (see Oak Aged Vino Cotto)
• Thick cream to serve (we used Vanilla Bean Double Cream from La Casa Del Formaggio)

1.  Grease a 20cm round tin and line the bottom with baking paper.

2.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

3.  Zest 3 grapefruit. Place zest into a bowl and drizzle over an ample amount of vino cotto.

4.  Sift buckwheat flour into a large bowl.

5. Add ground almonds, hazelnut meal, baking powder and xanthan gum to bowl and combine.

5. Pour honey into dry ingredients and mix well. If honey is thick, warm slightly by placing container in a bowl of warm water.

6. Add grapefruit zest and olive oil to bowl and mix.

7. Break eggs into another bowl and beat lightly. Pour eggs into mix and combine.

8. Pour in the grapefruit juice and combine well.

9. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

10. Cut one of the zested grapefruit in half and then into thin slices. Garnish top of cake with slices.

11. Brush top with honey.

12.  Place in oven and bake

13. After 45 minutes remove from oven and drizzle over a generous amount of Vino Cotto.

14. Cover tin with aluminium foil and bake for a further 20 minutes.

14.  Once cake is cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

15. Cut slices and serve with lots of cream.

The cooler winter weather lends it self to baking and this easy and sumptuous cake is an excellent excuse to turn on the oven and make use of in-season grapefruit. It will also work well with other citrus fruits.

Being gluten and dairy free it is a fantastic option all your family and guests will enjoy. Buon Appetito.

Have any questions or feedback. Let us know in the comment section below.

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