This recipe is dairy free and one of our favourites at this time of year. The courgettes (zucchinis) are coming thick and fast now. We always make a lot of these cakes whilst we have a glut of courgette, and then slice it into squares and put it in the freezer to enjoy that spring taste later in the year. It is so easy to make, and if you grow courgettes is not too expensive. I have made this in a loaf tin and as a tray bake. I usually make it as a tray bake as each piece has more icing, which is what makes the cake taste so good.
Ingredients
cake
300g of unpeeled courgette
150g soft brown sugar
50g desiccated coconut
125g of sunflower, vegetable or rape seed oil.
3 large eggs
Zest of two limes
100g sultanas
300g of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Icing
100g icing sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lime
A handful of desiccated coconut
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C or 160C if a fan oven.
- Grease a small loaf tin or a tin about 8”x10”
- Grate the courgette and squeeze as much juice out of it as you can (I do this in a clean tea towel that I use just for this. I put the juice in a smoothie)
- Put the courgette in a large bowl and add the sugar, coconut, oil, eggs and lime and mix well. I use a whisk.
- Add the flour, baking powder and sultanas and mix gently.
- Pour into the tin and bake for around 40 to 50 minutes or until the cake is firm and passes the clean skewer test.
- Make the icing by mixing the icing sugar, lime juice and a little bit of water together until you have the desired thickness
- When the cake is cool, cover with icing. If I am making a tray bake I often double the icing, but if not I zigzag it across the cake and sprinkle lime zest and coconut on top.
This is not the cheapest of cakes due to the price of the limes, but we often manage to get 5 for under £1 at the market or in a supermarket. I have used the bottled lime juice when I have not had any money to buy limes, but it needs the zest really to add the flavour. Enjoy x
[…] cakes out of them when water has been squeezed […]