Baking

Courgette Loaf Cake with Lemon Frosting

Using grated courgette in this loaf cake makes for a lovely moist sponge. And the courgettes pair really well with the tangy lemon mascarpone frosting!

30 minutes, plus cooling prep, 1 hour 20 minutes cook

Serves 10

Ingredients

50g walnuts

125ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

125g light brown soft sugar

250g Waitrose & Partners Courgettes (about 2 medium courgettes), coarsely grated

225g plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp fine salt

For the lemon mascarpone frosting

100g mascarpone

1 unwaxed lemon, zest, plus extra to serve

60g icing sugar, sifted

100g Greek strained yogurt

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/ Fan 150°C/Gas 3; put the walnuts in a small roasting tin and roast for 10 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop. Meanwhile, grease and line a 900g loaf tin with a long strip of baking parchment that overhangs either end.

Put the oil, eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes, using electric beaters, until light and airy. With a spatula, stir in the courgettes and walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients, then fold into the egg mixture until just combined. Tip into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour-1 hour 10 minutes until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, use a hand whisk to mix together the mascarpone, lemon zest and icing sugar until combined. Add the yogurt and whisk until it just holds soft peaks. Swirl over the top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with a little more lemon zest, if liked.