grapefruit rose cake

I don’t think I’ve really been more busy so much as I’ve just been getting home much later now. I actually intended to post something earlier this week as well, but I’ll get around to that post later–and in the meantime, of course I can’t miss a Friday post for Fiesta Friday! For now, this is a bit of a second take for my last attempt at grapefruit rose madeleines which were mediocre at best. However, thanks to posting about that failure, I received some helpful advice on tackling grapefruit!

It started me on thinking about glazes, and when I think about glazes I always think back to my ever favourite lemon cake (and here is my previous, ever favourite lemon cake).

(Okay, so maybe “ever favourite” is a bit of an exaggeration).

The glaze stands up to its word in this cake; the cake however doesn’t have any flavour at all (now I recognize the grapefruit zest is merely a formality). So that part is a disappointment, however you can at least take heart in all the grapefruit juice the cake can be soaked in.

I like leaving the grapefruit pulp in the glaze; it does leave it rather lumpy, however I think the bright pink pulp looks wonderfully flowery, and provides a nice spectrum of colours against the darker dried rose petals and pale glaze.

And (I almost forgot…this is what happens when you write posts early in the morning!) happy Fiesta Friday! Hosted by Angie, the Novice Gardener, and cohosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking andJess of Cooking Is My Sport. I’m very fortunate to be able to participate in such a fun and supportive event!

Recipe notes:

I think the grapefruit flavour comes out perfectly well. That being said, I could always still do with a heavier grapefruit flavour, especially as it all comes from the glaze, not the cake. I was thinking in that regard I may have to look along the lines of grinding up the whole fruit… though seeing as grapefruit has such thick pith, it may end up very bitter (which could be a good thing).

The rose flavour is, I think, well balanced with the grapefruit flavour. The cake could potentially do with a bit more of both flavours however (or maybe I like things to taste too strong.) I also find that I prefer using room temperature eggs and milk if possible with this cake; though that never really happens.