Courgette cake

Courgette what?! This cake recipe may seem unusual but you'll love the lightness and subtlety of this easy-to-make courgette cake.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small courgette

• 75g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

• 75g runny honey

• 75g caster sugar

• Seeds from ½ vanilla pod

• 2 medium eggs

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 190g self-raising flour

• 40g roasted almonds, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt

For the cream cheese icing

• 25g butter, very soft

• 100g cream cheese

• 100g icing sugar

• Some grated lime zest, plus

• 1 tbsp lime juice

METHOD

1. 01.Preheat the oven to 180C/fan160C/ gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

2. 02.Grate the courgette into a sieve and leave for 5 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture and set aside.

3. 03.Beat the butter, honey, sugar, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Fold in the lemon juice – it will curdle, but don’t worry. Combine the flour with the courgette and almonds. Fold in the butter mixture and the yogurt. If the batter is stiff, add a spoonful more of yogurt. Pour into the tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until golden. Insert a skewer – if it comes out clean, it’s done; if not, cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Cool in the tin.

4. 04.Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and cheese, then beat in the sugar and lime juice. Chill.

5. 05.Turn out the cooled cake and spread with the icing. Sprinkle with some lime zest and cut into slices.

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