A zesty cake by Ed Smith. Just like carrot, courgettes add sweetness and keep cakes lovely and moist
Contains dairyContains eggContains nuts
Serves8
CourseCake
Prepare25 mins
Cook50 mins
Total time1 hr 15 mins
Pluscooling
Ingredients
150g salted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g caster sugar
3 large eggs
125g self-raising flour
75g ground almonds
1 medium courgette (about 200g), coarsely grated
1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
1 unwaxed lime, zest and juice
100g granulated sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Grease and line a 450g loaf tin with baking parchment. Use the paddle attachment of a freestanding mixer to cream together the butter and caster sugar at medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy (or use a large bowl and electric beaters). Scrape the sides down, reduce to a lower speed and add the eggs one by one, ensuring each is incorporated before adding the next. Combine the flour and ground almonds, then stir into the batter, either with the machine at very
low speed or by hand. Stir in the grated courgette along with the lemon and lime zest, then transfer to the lined loaf tin.
Bake for around 50 minutes, until firm and golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. In a small bowl, combine the citrus juices and granulated sugar. Pour over the top of the cake while still warm, then leave to cool completely before
removing from the tin. This is very moist and keeps well - perhaps even improves - over 2-3 days, if wrapped and stored in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 1 week.
