Vegetable-based cakes are, in my experience, the Marmite of the baking world: some love them; others hate them. (In case you were wondering – and you probably weren’t – I love Marmite. I also, obviously, love vegetable-based cakes.) I’ve been munching carrot cake since my little legs could carry me to the top of the road where I grew up. I’ve used up leftover pumpkin innards in cakes (waste not, want not). I’ve eaten cakes with beetroots and sweet potatoes in them. Trust me: nine times out of ten you wouldn’t even know a vegetable had gone anywhere near the cake, let alone in it.
Which brings us to courgettes, and this delicious, light, cinnamon-y courgette and lemon loaf: an ideal place to start for those who are more, shall we say, sceptical about vegetables in cakes. You’ve been telling me for years that I should try courgette cake so, Dad, this one’s for you.
Ingredients:
- Zest of one lemon
- 140g sugar
- 1 egg
- 110ml vegetable oil
- 200g courgette (one medium courgette should do the trick)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice (or cinnamon)
- 200g self-raising flour
Method:
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
- Stir in the egg and oil.
- Peel the courgette. Discard the peel, and grate the courgette. Add the grated courgette to the mix.
- Stir in the baking powder and ground allspice.
- Fold in the flour.
- Grease a 1.5lb loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper. Tip the mixture into the tin, and use the back of a spoon to smooth the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes at 180°C, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cover with foil after 20-25 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
- Transfer to a wire rack, and leave to cool.