Kitchen Garden Forum

As requested by Catherine, sorry about the delay in posting. This was given to me a work colleague after I said I was hopeless at cake making. She said it was foolproof, and it is! And so quick and easy. My Fine Young Man read the recipe and said 'Don't make that, it sounds horrible' but he really likes it

3 eggs
9 fl oz (275 ml) sunflower oil
12 oz (350 g) caster sugar
12 oz (350 g)courgettes, grated
5 1/2 oz (165 g) plain flour
5 1/2 oz (165 g) buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps bicarbonate of soda
1 tblsp ground cinnamon
6 oz (175 g) raisins
5 oz (150 g) walnuts, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Grease and base line two 2lb (900 g) loaf tins with greased greaseproof paper.
Measure all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well to make a thick batter. Pour into loaf tins.
Bake in pre-heated oven for about 1 hour or until firm, and knife or skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool a little before turning out and leave to cool on wire rack.

I reduced the sugar to 10 oz and the oil to 8 fl oz and it came out fine. Oh, and I couldn't get any buckwheat flour, so used spelt flour instead.

The recipe given to me describes this as a loaf, to be served with butter or cream cheese, but I think it is more cakey and it doesn't need anything.

I'm thinking of making a version with hazelnuts instead of walnuts, half the cinnamon and some orange zest. I'm getting a bit adventurous here, it will end in tears

Courgettes make a lovely moist cake, I always lower the sugar too, sometimes I increase the fruit and substitute molasses, and malt extract for the sugar then my diabetic Mum can enjoy some too.

It may seem strange adding courgettes to a cake, but you have probably tried and enjoyed.
Ingredients
* 250g courgettes coarsely grated
* 2 eggs
* 100 ml vegetable oil
* 1 orange grated rind and juice
* 125g caster sugar
* 225g self-raising flour
* 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
* ½ tsp. bicarbonate of soda
* ½ tsp. baking powder
* 50g ready-to-eat apricots chopped
* -------- for the topping:
* 200g pack extra light cream cheese
* 1 tbsp. orange curd
* 1 tbsp. hazelnuts toasted and chopped
Method
# 1.Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 8cm, deep loose-bottomed cake tin.
# 2.Place the courgettes in a sieve and squeeze out any excess liquid.
# 3.Beat together the eggs, oil, orange rind and juice and the sugar. Sieve in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and beat to combine.
# 4.Fold in the courgettes and apricots then spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for 40 minutes until risen and firm to touch.
# 5.Turn out onto a cooling rack and cool.
# 6.Beat together the cream cheese and the orange curd and smooth over the top. Sprinkle over the nuts.

I quite fancy having a go at this recipe for courgette cake that I liked the sound of
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/513936

I've tried Pongeroon's recipe and everyone says it is delicious. No one could guess what the secret ingredient was, and it is a brilliant way to use up extra courgettes. I even found a bag of buckwheat flour in the cupboard that I'd bought to make buckwheat pancakes ages ago!

Can't wait to try James' recipe. Thank you both.