This perfectly tender and incredibly flavorful Vegan Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake is about to be your new favorite vegan cake! It doesn't get much better than a soft, fluffy, & eggless grapefruit cake with grapefruit glaze & dried grapefruit slices on top.
*Recipe shared October 2018 and updated February 2022*
The best vegan grapefruit cake recipe
The inspiration for this vegan grapefruit cake recipe came from two places.
First, way back when I went to a cooking-based study abroad program in Italy and we made the most incredible Olive Oil Cake. This recipe was one of my favorites because it was so simple, yet the flavors were so distinct and the cake was so moist and fluffy.
Second, I had been really looking for a way to incorporate Grapefruit into my baking. Given that most olive oil cakes are paired with lemon or orange, grapefruit felt like the perfect way to spruce up a traditional Italian olive oil cake. Even if you aren't Grapefruit's biggest fan, I promise you will love the way it pairs with the olive oil in this delicious cake!
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Grapefruit: There are different varieities of grapefruit, but I prefer to use pink grapefruit so this cake has a slight pink color
- Pastry flour: Is very important to use high-quality pastry flour to get a light and fluffy texture! If you only have all-purpose flour, you can replace 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch for every cup of flour called for. It's not the exact same but gives similar results!
How to make a grapefruit olive oil cake
Make the grapefruit cake batter
This step is fairly simple- first whisk together the freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, oat/almond milk, olive oil, sugar, and vanilla.
Once mixed, add in the pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then mix into a cake batter. The batter will be pretty bubbly at first, so give it a few minutes to rest before adding to a cake pan.
Add batter to pan & bake
I chose to bake this cake in my 8-inch springform pan- which is the same pan I used to bake my Blood Orange Chocolate Cake too. It's just the best!
Once the batter is in the pan, tap it on the counter to remove any air bubbles and add to the oven to bake for 45-55 minutes.
P.S- If you want to make these as grapefruit cupcakes, follow my Vegan Lemon Cupcake recipe for the correct baking time!
Top with grapefruit glaze
While the cake is cooling, make the grapefruit glaze. It requires just three ingredients and is the perfect topping for this vegan grapefruit cake!
PS. If you are hoping to decorate your cake with some beautiful dried grapefruit, then follow my guide on how to make dried citrus.
All you need is an extra grapefruit, an oven, and about 4-5 hours of time to get the beautiful dried grapefruit topping for this vegan olive oil cake.
Baking Science 101
When it comes to making a vegan olive oil cake you have to rely on chemical agents like baking powder and baking soda for rising and enough flour for structure. Now, that may sound easy, but finding the right combination of these ingredients together takes some experimenting.
When I first tested this cake, I tried using baking powder without any baking soda, but my cakes hardly rose and were dense and gummy.
Next, I tried a mix of both agents, but there wasn't enough acidity in the cake batter, so the baking soda left behind an undesirable metallic taste.
If you're a baking science geek like me, baking soda needs liquid AND an acid to produce gas to help your cake rise. Baking powder already has a powdered acid called cream of tartar in it already, so it only needs a liquid to activate.
It was only when I tripled the amount of baking soda, reduced the baking powder, and doubled the amount of grapefruit juice in the recipe that I achieved the perfect grapefruit cake!
FAQ & Tips:
I'm not sure. While I usually recommend using a gluten-free 1:1 flour, because this cake has a lot of grapefruit juice in it, that may affect the end result as it's very acidic.
You can definitely try using a 1:1 Gluten-free flour mix, but please note that flour alternatives like coconut flour or almond flour would not work in this recipe.
This grapefruit cake can be stored in a closed container at room temperature for 1-2 days or pre-sliced and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend storing each slice of cake between layers of parchment paper for the best results.
Also, while you can store the cake in the fridge, I really don't recommend it as it tends to dry it out.
This eggless, dairy-free, & Vegan Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake is an SGTO favorite! Enjoy making this delicious olive oil cake.
-TSG
More Vegan Citrus Desserts you will love:
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Vegan Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- ¾ cup almond milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice strained (about 1 grapefruit, freshly squeezed and strained to exclude flesh/seeds)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons grapefruit zest
- 2 cups+ 2 Tablespoons pastry flour or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Grapefruit Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon grapefruit juice
- 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together your almond milk, sugar, grapefruit juice, olive oil, vanilla bean paste/extract and grapefruit zest.
- Next, sift together your pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Once evenly mixed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the large mixing bowl until a smooth cake batter is formed.
- Add the batter to the greased springform pan. Before putting the pan into the oven, tap the cake pan on the counter to release any large bubbles. Bake for 48 minutes-60 minutes until the cake is browning on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by adding the powdered sugar, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit zest to a small bowl and whisking until a thick but smooth glaze forms. If you want a thinner glaze, you can add additional grapefruit juice.
- Apply the glaze once the cake has reached room temperature so that it does not melt. Slice into 8 even pieces and enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover cake can be stored in a closed container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The cake does tend to dry out in the fridge, so the freezer is my recommended method of storing.
- Grapefruit can be subbed 1:1 with any other citrus like lemon, lime, or orange in this recipe.
Sara says
While not exactly like the grapefruit cake at the Brown Derby at Disney, my family and I found it to be close enough to curb our craving. We truly enjoyed this recipe and hope to share it with others soon.
We used 3 Dole grapefruit (in own juice) cups - 2 strained yields approximately 1/2 cup juice. We used the juice from the remaining cup and a tsp of cornstarch in the glaze, along with the fruit from all 3 cups. We poured some of the glaze on the cake while warm (as suggested by a few other reviewers).
Thank you for this fun and tasty recipe!
Pavi says
This turned out so good and the texture was spot on! One of the best cakes I've ever made! I baked it in a loaf pan (same ingredient measurements that you used) at 350 degrees for 50 minutes and out came a picture perfect loaf! My only critique is next time, I would use less salt, but that is my preference.
I can't wait to try other flavor combinations with this...I'm thinking lemon and basil next!
Megan Horowitch says
Thank you so much for the feedback Pavi!
Andrea Holt says
I was so happy with how this recipe turned out! I followed recipe exactly using pastry flour. When cake was cooled, I poked tiny holes all over the top, dumped and spread the glaze, and let it seep into the cake. Then I covered the cake in vanilla vegan frosting and vegan sprinkles, because it was for a birthday! 🙂 So yummy with both the glaze and frosting, and non-vegans were astounded and asking for more. Will be making again.
Just curious, do you think this recipe could be used for cupcakes or other molds?
Thanks for sharing!
Megan Horowitch says
So glad you liked it! I bet this would work great as cupcakes, probably would make around 10-12 cupcakes and you'd want to bake 20-25 minutes (haven't tested it but that's how long cupcakes normally take). If you try it let me know!
Meg says
I made this cake for Easter brunch - I used blood oranges instead of grapefruit. Absolutely delicious! So moist and lovely flavor. And I now have a plethora of grapefruit from my farm box - so will be making this as written.
Meg says
I made this cake for Easter brunch - I used blood oranges instead of grapefruit. Absolutely delicious! So moist and lovely flavor. And I now have a plethora of grapefruit from my farm box - so will be making this as written.
Megan Horowitch says
So glad! I love it with orange too 🙂
Andy says
Great recipe! I did it with an ORANGE instead of Grapefruit and also added ROSEMARY which was a lovely combo along with the olive oil.
AP flour worked for me, nice and spongy!
For the glaze I heated orange juice + rosemary + brown sugar + water + olive oil until it melted and thickened a little. I then poked holes into the cake and glazed the cake!
Everyone loved it, all the non-vegans couldn’t believe it was vegan!!
Andy says
Great recipe! I did it with an ORANGE instead of Grapefruit and also added ROSEMARY which was a lovely combo along with the olive oil.
AP flour worked for me, nice and spongy!
For the glaze I heated orange juice + rosemary + brown sugar + water + olive oil until it melted and thickened a little. I then poked holes into the cake and glazed the cake!
Everyone loved it, all the non-vegans couldn’t believe it was vegan!!
Megan Horowitch says
Oh I love that flavor combo and the glaze you added- thanks for the kind words and sharing your substitutions!
mariah says
This cake is SO GOOD!! I adapted the recipe slightly - used lemons and a little tangerine instead of grapefruit, and used coconut milk instead of almond.
I used 2 scant cups AP flour, and baked it in a bread tin rather than round. Baked 52 mins and it turned out beautifully!! It is so moist and just the right balance of fluffy and dense. Can't wait to share this one with my friends! Thank you!
mariah says
This cake is SO GOOD!! I adapted the recipe slightly - used lemons and a little tangerine instead of grapefruit, and used coconut milk instead of almond.
I used 2 scant cups AP flour, and baked it in a bread tin rather than round. Baked 52 mins and it turned out beautifully!! It is so moist and just the right balance of fluffy and dense. Can't wait to share this one with my friends! Thank you!
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Yay I'm so happy you loved it! The mix of tangerine and lemon sounds amazing too- I will definitely have to try that 🙂
Christine says
This is one of the best olive oil cakes I have ever made - vegan or not - you will not be disappointed. I followed the directions to a tee - but substituted maple syrup instead of vanilla extract - as we were out and used sifted spelt flour. It came our perfectly and the family had no idea it was vegan. #momwins
Christine says
This is one of the best olive oil cakes I have ever made - vegan or not - you will not be disappointed. I followed the directions to a tee - but substituted maple syrup instead of vanilla extract - as we were out and used sifted spelt flour. It came our perfectly and the family had no idea it was vegan. #momwins
ShortGirlTallOrder says
So glad everyone loved it- such a win! I love hearing that it worked well with spelt flour too 🙂
Anna says
We loved this cake! Thanks so much for recipe. We were looking for something to use up a less than optimal looking grapefruit and this came to the rescue. We used AP flour and didn't do anything fancy, just the same amounts as the pastry flour, and for the glaze I didn't have powdered sugar, so I ended up using the zest, 2 Tbsp. juice, and some granulated sugar - heated up in the microwave to melt the sugar - making a syrup instead. I poked holes in the top of the cake with a fork once it was cool and poured that on top. Definitely recommend!
Anna says
We loved this cake! Thanks so much for recipe. We were looking for something to use up a less than optimal looking grapefruit and this came to the rescue. We used AP flour and didn't do anything fancy, just the same amounts as the pastry flour, and for the glaze I didn't have powdered sugar, so I ended up using the zest, 2 Tbsp. juice, and some granulated sugar - heated up in the microwave to melt the sugar - making a syrup instead. I poked holes in the top of the cake with a fork once it was cool and poured that on top. Definitely recommend!
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Wow adding that syrup sounds SO good! I'm so glad this recipe allowed you to put that last grapefruit to good use 🙂
Anne says
This cake is exceptional. Thank you for the recipe!
Anne says
This cake is exceptional. Thank you for the recipe!
ShortGirlTallOrder says
So glad you liked it!
Jacob says
This cake was so moist and delicious. I didn’t think I would like a grapefruit cake but this was really good!
Jacob says
This cake was so moist and delicious. I didn’t think I would like a grapefruit cake but this was really good!
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Thank you! It's definitely surprisingly good 🙂
Erin says
Hi! thanks for sharing your recipe. i may try with fresh orange juice but am.wondering how you measure/scoop your flour? also have you tried half AP flour and half cake flour? does the cake flour provide enough structure? thanks again!
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Orange Juice sounds great! For this recipe I measured my flour by scooping the flour up with the measuring cup from a container I keep of flour and then leveling it off before adding to the bowl. I've only made this recipe with cake flour and it has had enough structure. I use cake flour for every cake and cupcake recipe on my site so they are light and fluffy :)! It's definitely key to use the correct amount of baking powder/ baking soda so it rises enough as this gives the cake a lot of structure. If you are going to use AP flour, you may want to use 2 Tbsp less flour per 1 cup as all-purpose flour tends to weigh more than cake flour. You can replace those 2 Tbsp with cornstarch to make homemade cake flour as well. I hope that helps! If you do try this recipe with all-purpose flour, let me know how it goes as I'd love to hear. Let me know if you have any additional questions!
FYI! I also have a Vegan Orange Blossom Fig Cake recipe that uses olive oil & orange juice if that's interesting to you: https://shortgirltallorder.com/vegan-orange-blossom-fig-olive-oil-cake
Audrey H says
This looks AMAZING and I can't wait to try this recipe at home. Is there any nutrition information calculated for this?
mhorowitch8 says
Thank you Audrey! I don't include nutritional information on my recipes, but you can use MyFitnessPal or other similar apps to enter in the ingredients and get nutritional info 🙂
Libby says
This cake is excellent! I came to this recipe from an Imperfect Produce e-mail, and I had a grapefruit from them that I wanted to use. My husband, who isn't a huge fan of cake, said it was one of the best he's had. I don't have a springform pan, so I used a 9" round cake pan that I oiled well. It turned out in one piece after about 5 minutes of cooling. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for the recipe.
mhorowitch8 says
Thank you so much for sharing Libby! I'm so happy you enjoyed the cake and were even able to convince your husband grapefruit can be good too 🙂