Courgette, Lemon and Thyme Cake

  • Ali

Do you have a massive glut of courgettes in the garden at the moment? I’ve been getting creative with ideas to use them all up from pickle to courgetti pasta, frittata and even cake!  What are your favourite courgette recipes? We’d love you to share them on our FaceBook or Instagram page. 

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

300g gluten free flour (see my flour blend below)

1 tblsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tblsp baking powder

Zest of 2 large or 3 small lemons

2 tblsp chopped thyme

275g sugar – I used 200g xylitol and 75g coconut sugar (this will give it a more golden colour)

4 large free-range eggs

250ml rapeseed oil, extra for greasing

400g courgettes, trimmed and finely grated (squeeze out any excess moisture as you go)

For the filling and icing

·      1 can coconut milk – chilled so the cream and water separate

·      2-3 tablespoons maple syrup – depending on how sweet you want it.

·      Zest of 1 lime

·      Juice of 1 lime juice

Lemon, Lime and Orange zest and thyme flowers to garnish if available.

You'll need

2 x 23cm (9in) spring-form cake tins

 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. 

Lightly oil the cake tins and line the bases with baking paper. 

Directions

Start by grating the courgette and setting it aside in a colander or sieve so it can drain. You want to remove as much moisture as possible. 

In a stand-alone mixer (or in a large bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer), whisk together the sugar and eggs until pale and fluffy and more than doubled in size. With the mixer still on, pour the oil into the bowl, in a steady stream, and mix until it is completely incorporated.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, lemon rind.

Sift the dry ingredients into the batter and fold in with a spatula until just mixed through. Do a final squeeze of the courgette and add this to the eggs and fold through until completely incorporated. Divide the batter between the two lined cake tins and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack. When the tins are cool enough to touch, gently release the cakes and return them to the wire rack, removing the base and greaseproof paper. Allow to cool completely. 

Meanwhile, make the filing and icing.

·      Take the can of coconut milk from the fridge and remove the cream. Leave the water for drinking or adding to a smoothie.

·      Blend in a nutri-bullet or high power blender with the lime juice, zest and maple syrup.  It should have the consistency of cream cheese and be slightly tangy.       

·      Assemble the cake by spreading one of the layers with half the coconut frosting. Place the second layer on top and spread with the remaining frosting. Garnish with lemon, lime and or orange zest and thyme leaves if available. 

·      This cake will keep in the fridge for 3–5 days.

 

Ali’s Gluten Free Flour blend

I use this gluten free flour recipe for everything from thickening gravies and sauces to home baking. It’s a perfect combination which I love.

125g Brown rice flour

125g Sweet white sorghum flour

175g Tapioca flour

175g Cornflour

175g Potato starch

75g buckwheat flour

Mix all the flours together and store in an airtight container. This works really well as a plain flour. If a recipe calls for self raising flour simply add baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.