Courgette, Orange & Thyme Cake
Vegetables are great for keeping a cake light and moist and courgettes have a delicate flavour that’s not overpowering. This is an easy and tasty bake – the courgettes are complemented by the bright citrussy orange and mild nutty poppy seeds. A little added thyme from the garden delivers a subtle grassy spice that enhances the sweet orange. Perfect for an afternoon treat.
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180c/160cfan. Grease and line a 2lb / 1kg loaf tin.
Mix the flour, baking powder and thyme together in a bowl.
In another bowl beat the eggs with the sugar and zest and juice of the orange and the oil.
Coarsely grate the courgettes onto a clean cloth. Gather the edges together and squeeze out any excess liquid. Mix the courgettes into the wet mixture. Then add the flour mix and fold until combined. Fold in the poppy seeds.
Pour into the prepared tin. Smooth the top and bake for 1 hour or until risen golden and cooked through (a skewer comes out clean). Leave to cool in the tin then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the butter until soft with a hand-held electric mixer. Add the icing sugar a little at a time. Add the cream cheese and fold until combined and smooth.
Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with orange zest, poppy seeds and thyme leaves.
Ingredients
- For the Cake
- 300g self-raising flour
- 1/2tsp baking powder
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to decorate
- 3 large eggs
- 250g light soft brown sugar
- 1 orange, juice & zest
- 250ml sunflower oil
- 300g courgettes (approx. 1 large courgette)
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 200g icing sugar
- 100g full fat cream cheese
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp poppy seeds