Courgette, lemon, fennel seed and olive oil cake

GILL MELLER’S COURGETTE, LEMON, FENNEL SEED AND OLIVE OIL CAKE

I’m always trying to get more vegetables into my recipes, even if it means weaving them into places you might not expect to find them, like in this delicious olive oil cake. The grated courgettes help to keep it wonderfully moist while also giving it a light, tender crumb. I’ve topped it with a rather wonderful mascarpone icing, spiked with a little more olive oil, lemon and a touch of salt. Every time I have a slice it makes me feel like I’m in Italy. Better still, it’s another good way to get a few extra vegetables into the day.

Preparation time 25 minutes | Cook time 50-65 minutes | Serves 10-12

INGREDIENTS

250g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp fine sea salt

225g caster sugar

Finely grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons

3 – 4 fresh fennel flowers in seed or 3 tsp of fennel seeds lightly crushed

3 large Stonegate Estate organic eggs

200ml good-quality extra virgin olive oil

60g thick Greek yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

275g courgettes, coarsely grated

For the mascarpone, lemon and olive oil icing

250g mascarpone

75g icing sugar, sifted

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp good-quality extra virgin olive oil

A small pinch of fine sea salt

Demerara sugar

METHOD

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a roughly 35 x 20cm rectangular baking tin with baking parchment, leaving a little overhang on the long sides to help lift the cake out later.
  2. Place the grated courgette into a sieve and leave to drain for 10 minutes. Give it a gentle squeeze to remove any excess moisture, but don’t dry it out completely.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the salt in a bowl.
  4. Put the caster sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and fennel seeds and rub together with the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant. Crack in the eggs and whisk for 2–3 minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
  5. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until smooth and glossy, then whisk in the yoghurt and vanilla.
  6. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in three additions until almost combined. Fold in the courgettes until evenly distributed and no streaks of flour remain.
  7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
  8. Bake for 50 minutes, then begin checking every 5 minutes. The cake is ready when it is well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
  9. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then use the baking parchment to lift it onto a wire rack and leave until completely cold.
  10. For the icing, place the mascarpone into a bowl with the icing sugar, lemon zest and the salt. Mix gently until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, folding it through until the icing is thick, smooth and silky. Avoid overbeating, as mascarpone can become loose if worked too much.
  11. Spread the icing generously over the cooled cake, leaving it slightly uneven so it settles naturally. Place the cake in the fridge for 25–30 minutes to allow the icing to set, then sprinkle over 1 tbsp demerara sugar just before serving.
  12. Finish with a little extra lemon zest and, if you like, a tiny drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil just before serving.
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