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Courgette Cake

A Light Garden Bake with a Zesty Glaze

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This cake is a gentle surprise—moist and tender from the courgette, dotted with poppy seeds for a delicate crunch, and finished with a bright lemon icing that sings of late summer days. It’s the kind of bake that feels quietly impressive, yet humble in its making—born of surplus courgettes and the joy of making something beautiful from the garden glut.

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Perfect with a cup of Earl Grey, served under a tree, or wrapped in waxed paper for a picnic.

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INGREDIENTS - serves 8-10

For the cake:

  • 200g courgette (about 1 medium), finely grated

  • 150g self-raising flour

  • 50g ground almonds

  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • ½ tsp fine sea salt

  • 2 large eggs

  • 125ml sunflower oil (or light olive oil)

  • 125g caster sugar

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

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For the icing:

  • 100g icing sugar

  • 1–2 tbsp lemon juice

  • A few extra poppy seeds or edible petals (like cornflower or calendula) for decoration

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HOW TO

  • Preheat & prep – Heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin or 20cm round cake tin.

  • Grate & drain – Grate the courgette and gently squeeze out excess moisture using a clean tea towel. You want it damp, not dripping.

  • Mix dry ingredients – In one bowl, combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarb, salt, and poppy seeds.

  • Whisk wet ingredients – In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth and slightly frothy.

  • Combine & fold – Add the wet mixture to the dry, then gently fold in the courgette until just combined. Don’t overmix.

  • Bake – Pour into your prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

  • Ice & finish – Once completely cool, mix the icing sugar with just enough lemon juice to form a pourable glaze. Drizzle generously over the cake, and scatter with poppy seeds or petals if you like.

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Nutritional Advice (per slice, approx. for 10 slices):

  • Calories: ~230 kcal

  • Fat: 11g

  • Carbohydrates: 26g

  • Sugar: 16g

  • Fibre: 1–2g

  • Vitamins: A little vitamin C and potassium from the courgette; protein from the almonds and eggs

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A gentler sweet treat, using garden bounty and pantry staples

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