Courgette Cake Food

COURGETTE LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and sugar, then add the courgettes and vanilla.
• In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with a pinch of salt.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then pour into the tin. Bake for 1 hr, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then serve, or freeze for up to 1 month.

CHOCOLATE COURGETTE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, mixed spice and 1 tsp salt. In another bowl, combine the olive oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla essence and grated courgette. Mix the dry and wet mixture until just combined, then fold in the toasted hazelnuts. Line a 24cm cake tin with greaseproof paper, then pour in your mixture. Bake for about 40-50 mins, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
• To make the icing, place the chocolate in a bowl and bring cream to the boil in a saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until completely smooth and melted. Leave the icing to cool slightly and thicken, then spread it over the cake so it's covered and the icing starts to drip down the sides. Serve with a cup of tea or enjoy as a pud with a spoonful of something creamy.

VEGAN COURGETTE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin. Beat together the vegan butter block, sugar and lemon zest until combined. Add the plant milk and beat slowly to combine. Add the ground almonds, flour and baking powder, along with the grated courgette, and stir to combine. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin (it will be quite thick) and level the top. Bake for 55-60 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely in the tin.
• To make the icing, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of the lemon juice and stir to combine. Add a little more lemon juice if needed, ½ tsp at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Remove the cake from the tin and drizzle over the icing, allowing it to drip down the sides. Leave to set for 20-30 mins. Cut into slices to serve.

COURGETTE & LIME CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Oil a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Combine the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl and mix well. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ground pistachios. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the grated courgette using your hands (don't worry about squeezing out every drop), then add this to the bowl along with the lime zest and half the juice, and mix to combine.
• Bake for 40-50 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Check the cake after 30 mins - if it's looking too brown, cover with foil for the remaining cooking time. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 mins, then transfer to a wire rack, poke a few holes in the top using a skewer and pour over the remaining lime juice. Leave to cool completely. Once cool, will keep frozen for up to a month. Defrost fully before decorating and serving.
• For the frosting, tip the soft cheese into a bowl, sift over the icing sugar, pour in the lime juice and mix to combine. Spread this over the top of the cooled cake, then sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and lime zest. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for up to three days.

COURGETTE & ORANGE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil and line a 1kg loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment. Finely grate the courgettes, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can with your hands (too much will make the cake soggy).
• Stir the courgettes with the sugar, sunflower oil, eggs, orange zest, vanilla and sultanas, then fold in the flour and baking powder until they disappear, but don't overmix.
• Scrape the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 mins until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with the icing sugar (don't overbeat as this can make the mixture too soft), then chill. Spread over the cooled cake, scatter with the zest and chill until ready to serve. Will keep for a week in the fridge.

COURGETTE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare 25cm square cake tin by lining with strips of baking paper.
• Beat the butter and sugars until light and creamy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, with a spoonful of the flour to prevent the mixture curdling.
• Add the vanilla and yoghurt and mix well.
• Sift dry ingredients together. Stir into mixture with the grated courgette.
• Turn into prepared cake tin. Sprinkle surface with chocolate pieces if desired.
• Bake at 170 degrees centigrade for 45 minutes or until the centre feels firm and the skewer comes out clean.