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courgette lemon cake sliced on wooden board

Courgette and lemon cake

This recipe for courgette and lemon cake is naturally sweetened, with bananas and honey, and is free from refined sugar. Both of the children loved this cake – although I must admit to being amazed that neither of them was upset that it contained “green bits”.
Course Cake
Cuisine British
Keyword courgette and lemon cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 12
Author Mandy Mazliah

Ingredients

  • 2 small-medium courgettes (zucchini) grated, around 350g
  • 1 ripe banana mashed
  • 2 eggs or sub flax eggs* (see notes)
  • 75 g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 100 ml sunflower oil
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
  • 50 g ground almonds
  • zest of 2 lemons

To ice (optional)

  • 175 g icing sugar sifted
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • grated lemon zest to decorate, optional
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with non stick baking paper. If you leave some of the baking paper hanging over the ends it will be easier to remove your cake.

  2. Grate 2 small-medium courgettes into a colander (you need around 350g grated courgette) and use your hands to squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Leave in the colander and set aside.

  3. Mash a ripe banana into a large mixing bowl. Beat in 2 eggs or flax eggs (see note*), 75g caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add 100ml sunflower oil and beat again until well mixed.

  4. Sift in 250g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda and fold into the mixture. Fold in 50g ground almonds.

  5. Stir through the grated courgette and lemon zest.

  6. Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool completely.

To ice, optional

  1. Once the cake is completely cool mix together 175g sifted icing sugar with 2 tbsp lemon juice. Pour over the cake and decorate with grated lemon zest if desired. Leave to set.

  2. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Recipe Notes

*To make two flax eggs mix 2 tbsp ground flax seed (linseed) with 5 tbsp cold water. Set aside until you have a gloopy mixture.