Pomelo Cake Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This Pomelo Cake has a delicious tender crumb. I love this pomelo sponge cake as an afternoon treat or an anytime dessert.

Prep Time10

Active Time30

Course: Dessert

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Yield: slices

Calories: 316kcal

Equipment

1 9x13 cake pan
stand mixer or hand mixer

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
zest of 1 pomelo
10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 ¼ cups buttermilk at room temperature

Pomelo Syrup

¼ cup pomelo juice fresh squeezed from about ¼ of a pomelo
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Cake

Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder. I do this by hand, directly in my stand mixer bowl.
Add the butter and zest to the dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix at medium speed until the mixture is a crumbly, sandy and uniform mixture (about 1 minute).
Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk. Stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, as needed. Once all the buttermilk has been added, mix at medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Gently pour the cake into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. The sides should be a golden brown, and the top should look set.
Place cake on a wire rack to cool. As the cake rests, make the pomelo syrup.

Pomelo Syrup

Combine pomelo juice and sugar in a microwaveable cup. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir the syrup. If the sugar isn't fully dissolved, microwave for another 5-10 seconds, then stir and check again. Repeat, adding 5-10 seconds each time until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Using a pastry brush, brush the syrup over the warm cake. The syrup should soak into the cake. Keep applying the syrup until all of it has been absorbed into the cake.

Serve the Pomelo Cake

Allow the cake and syrup to fully cool before serving. Ideally, use a warm and slightly damp knife to cut the cake. This prevents the crumbs from sticking to the knife.

Notes

Leftover cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator.

This cake also freezes well. To freeze, wrap it in parchment paper and place it in a freezer ziplock bag. Allow it to defrost in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition