Courgette and Poppy Seed Loaf
A delicious lemon loaf cake made with courgette (or zucchini), from Veggie Desserts + Cakes by Kate Hackworthy
For the cake
- 200 g courgettes (zucchini)
- 125 g unsalted butter softened
- 125 g caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 175 g self-raising flour
For the lavender glaze
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1.5 tsp culinary lavender
- 125 g icing sugar
To decorate (optional)
- 1 tsp culinary lavender
- twists of lemon
To make the cake
Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 fan/350 F/gas 4. Lightly grease and line a 1 kg/2 lb 4 oz loaf pan.
Leave the skin on the courgette and grate it coarsely. In a clean tea towel, squeeze the moisture from the courgette and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beating each one in well.
Beat in the courgette, lemon juice and zest.
Sift in the flour and add the poppy seed. Mix gently to combine.
Pour into the prepared pan, level to the edges and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the lavender glaze
Gently heat the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Remove it from the heat, add the lavender and allow to infuse for 10 minutes.
Over a bowl, strain the lavender out of the lemon juice. Beat the cooled infused lemon juice with the icing sugar until smooth.
Drizzle over the completely cooled cake and decorate with lavender and lemon.
Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 86mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.4mg