Grapefruit is an 18th century hybrid first bred in Barbados. Once known as the “forbidden fruit,” it is a cross between a pomelo and a sweet orange. Prior to the 19th century, it was only grown as an ornamental fruit.
One story of the fruit's origins is that a certain "Captain Shaddock" brought pomelo seeds to Jamaica and bred the first fruit.
The hybrid fruit was documented in 1750 by a Welshman, Rev. Griffith Hughes, who described specimens from Barbados. Currently, the grapefruit is said to be one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados."
It was brought to Florida by Count Odette Philippe in 1823 in what is now known as Safety Harbor. Further crosses have produced the tangelo in 1905.
An early pioneer in the American citrus industry was Kimball Chase Atwood, a wealthy entrepreneur who founded the Atwood Grapefruit Co. in the late 19th century. It was there that pink grapefruit was first discovered in 1906.
How Did the Hollywood Brown Derby get Grapefruit Cake?
The Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant is famous for a number of dishes created by owner and chef, Robert Cobb. He is best known for coming up with the Cobb Salad, but he also created Grapefruit Cake.
One day gossip columnist, Louella Parsons, complained to Cobb that all of his desserts were too fattening and requested something healthier. Cobb quickly told the chef “to put grapefruit on something, because everyone knows it’s slimming.”
So the chef invented his Grapefruit Cake, a dessert with multiple layers of cream cheese frosting that are anything but slimming, and it’s gone down in the history books along with several other Derby-invented classic recipes.
Grapefruit Cake
Hollywood Brown Derby - Disney-MGM Studios
Yield: 4 to 6 portions
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour; 3/4 cup sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup water; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 3 eggs (separated)
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice; 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. 2. Add water, oil, egg yolks, grapefruit juice, and lemon rind. Beat until smooth. 3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar separately, until whites are stiff
4. Gradually fold egg whites into cake batter, folding gently with rubber spatula until just blended. Do not stir mixture. 5. Pour into ungreased 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 350º degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Invert pan on cake rack until cool. Run spatula around edge of cake. Carefully remove from pan. With a serrated knife, gently cut layer in half.
Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 six-ounce packages of cream cheese; 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind; 3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring; 1 one-pound can grapefruit sections (well-drained), reserving 2 tablespoons of juice OR 3 fresh grapefruits, peeled, sectioned, and drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice.
Method:
1. Let cream cheese soften at room temperature. Beat cheese until fluffy. 2. Add lemon juice and rind. 3. Gradually blend in sugar. Beat until well blended. Add food coloring. 4. Add reserved grapefruit and blend into frosting. 5. Divide the frosting evenly into two bowls. Roughly chop 2/3 of the grapefruit sections and add them to half the frosting. Spread this mixture on the bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake. Frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.
One story of the fruit's origins is that a certain "Captain Shaddock" brought pomelo seeds to Jamaica and bred the first fruit.
The hybrid fruit was documented in 1750 by a Welshman, Rev. Griffith Hughes, who described specimens from Barbados. Currently, the grapefruit is said to be one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados."
It was brought to Florida by Count Odette Philippe in 1823 in what is now known as Safety Harbor. Further crosses have produced the tangelo in 1905.
An early pioneer in the American citrus industry was Kimball Chase Atwood, a wealthy entrepreneur who founded the Atwood Grapefruit Co. in the late 19th century. It was there that pink grapefruit was first discovered in 1906.
How Did the Hollywood Brown Derby get Grapefruit Cake?
The Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant is famous for a number of dishes created by owner and chef, Robert Cobb. He is best known for coming up with the Cobb Salad, but he also created Grapefruit Cake.
One day gossip columnist, Louella Parsons, complained to Cobb that all of his desserts were too fattening and requested something healthier. Cobb quickly told the chef “to put grapefruit on something, because everyone knows it’s slimming.”
So the chef invented his Grapefruit Cake, a dessert with multiple layers of cream cheese frosting that are anything but slimming, and it’s gone down in the history books along with several other Derby-invented classic recipes.
Grapefruit Cake
Hollywood Brown Derby - Disney-MGM Studios
Yield: 4 to 6 portions
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour; 3/4 cup sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup water; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 3 eggs (separated)
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice; 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. 2. Add water, oil, egg yolks, grapefruit juice, and lemon rind. Beat until smooth. 3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar separately, until whites are stiff
4. Gradually fold egg whites into cake batter, folding gently with rubber spatula until just blended. Do not stir mixture. 5. Pour into ungreased 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 350º degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Invert pan on cake rack until cool. Run spatula around edge of cake. Carefully remove from pan. With a serrated knife, gently cut layer in half.
Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 six-ounce packages of cream cheese; 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind; 3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring; 1 one-pound can grapefruit sections (well-drained), reserving 2 tablespoons of juice OR 3 fresh grapefruits, peeled, sectioned, and drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice.
Method:
1. Let cream cheese soften at room temperature. Beat cheese until fluffy. 2. Add lemon juice and rind. 3. Gradually blend in sugar. Beat until well blended. Add food coloring. 4. Add reserved grapefruit and blend into frosting. 5. Divide the frosting evenly into two bowls. Roughly chop 2/3 of the grapefruit sections and add them to half the frosting. Spread this mixture on the bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake. Frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.
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