Description
Chocolate courgette cake sneaks vegetables into dessert while keeping it rich and moist. Cocoa and zucchini combine for a treat with unexpected depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup grated courgette (zucchini), squeezed dry
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
Baking Fats and Liquids:
- 3 ounces (85 grams) butter
- 1/4 cup milk
Flavor Enhancers and Mix-ins:
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 180°C (350°F) and prepare a 15cm x 25cm loaf tin by greasing and lining with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, blend butter, sugar, and orange zest until the mixture becomes pale and airy.
- Incorporate eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition to ensure a smooth consistency.
- In another bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and ground cinnamon.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with milk to maintain a balanced texture.
- Carefully integrate grated courgette and chopped pecans, stirring minimally to prevent overmixing.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a skewer that should emerge with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to rest in the tin for 3 minutes to stabilize its structure.
- Turn out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before adding icing, if desired.
Notes
- Swap grated courgette for other vegetables like carrots or beetroot for varied flavor profiles and nutrition boosts.
- Use gluten-free flour blend to make this cake suitable for those with wheat sensitivities or celiac conditions.
- Toast pecans before adding to enhance their nutty flavor and create a more complex taste dimension in the cake.
- Consider reducing sugar by 25% and adding mashed banana or applesauce for natural sweetness and moisture retention.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 384
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 72 mg