Pound Cake with Candied Grapefruit Peel

There’s a basic principle in our house that we adhere to for everyday living and that is the 80/20 rule.  Our goal is to maintain a balanced lifestyle 80 percent of the time and 20 percent goes to treating ourselves and this dessert falls into the 20 percent rule.  In the 1700’s the pound cake (of British origins) made its debut and as the name implies, contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour! No wonder the amounts have been pared down as this would have served many families.

adapted from The Cake Book

200g (2 cups) sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
250g (1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped candied grapefruit peel

Preheat the oven to 165c (325f). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes). Ad the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating it with the heavy cream in 2 additions. Mix until the flour is just incorporated. Fold in the candied grapefruit peel. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes, then unmold the cake and let cool completely before slicing.