Grapefruit Poppy Seed Loaf

What is it that obnoxious thing you like to do when no one is looking? 

Me? After rehearsals at night, I love to crank up the bass, turn up the music full-blast, and roll down all my windows on the twilight drive back to our home. I frantically scan the radio for any or every song I know the words or melody. If something from Journey or Michael Jackson blasts through those beaten speakers of mine, I hit the jackpot, and sing as high and loud as I can.

... only to turn the volume level down to a socially acceptable level, and lower my voice to almost a whisper when I hit a stop light. That doesn't stop me from turning it all right back up again when I speed ahead of the other cars when that light pops right out in it's emerald hues. 

Now, I would never, ever, ever, ever do this around anyone else (okay, maybe my closest family and best friends). And why not? I'm the happiest when I'm doing anything with music - even if I'm singing like one of those awful singing wannabes at the premie stages of Americal Idol (does anyone even watch that anymore? does it even exist anymore?). It makes me feel alive! Then why not share it with the rest of the world?

I don't think the world is ready for my shower-time-singing-sparkling-high-tones. Or perhaps they'd get out the pitchforks. See what I did there? pitchforks? as in a tuningfork? Maybe? 

Now that takes me back to college... 

Grapefruits are another one of those things I like to devour when no one is looking. Why? Because my little family hates them entirely. The peer pressure is too much, and I could never turn away from those juicy citrus darlings. Plus, my spoon usually makes the grapefruit squirt all over the place, so I usually end up just stuffing my face into it like I'd imagine an aborigine would. It's not pretty at all, but boy am I a happy girl! My favorite way to eat grapefruit is with a little sprinkle of brown sugar, and a bit of time broiling in the oven. It's awesome.

This grapefruit loaf will take you for a ride! Your mouth will automatically try to pine through the flavors for the familiar lemon taste, but with a tasteful POW, the grapefruit will set up camp in your taste buds, and you'll never, ever, look back. The loaf was incredibly moist, and tastefully welcomed the poke-cake trend with the grapefruit glaze dripping wonderfully into each pocket. We attacked this with our forks.

Another thing we might not do with anyone around.

On second thought, doesn't everyone do this?

Grapefruit Poppy Seed Loaf

makes 8 servings

ingredients:

5 large eggs at room temperature

3 T poppy seeds

 2 T grated grapefruit peel, and 1/2 C grapefruit juice

1 1/2 T pure vanilla extract

1 2/3 C granulated sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 t salt

2 C sifted cake flour

2 C confectioners sugar

method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 5x9 loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, poppy seeds, grapefruit peel and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup grapefruit juice until the sugar is dissolved. 

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, 30 seconds. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups granulates sugar and salt on high speed, scraping down the sides, until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Bean in the egg mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time. Scrape down the sides, mix for 3 minutes. Mix in the flour on 3 parts on low speed and scrape into prepared pan. 

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - about 70 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack placed on a sheet of parchment paper. Using a skewer, poke holes into the loaf' brush with half of the grapefruit syrup. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides to loosen, then invert onto the rack and brush with with the remaining grapefruit syrup. Turn right side up and let cool completely, about 1 hour. 

5. Whisk together the confectioners sugar and remaining 1/4 cup grapefruit juice. Drizzle over cake and let set before slicing. 

recipe source: Rachel Ray Mag