Fragrant Elderflower and Lemon Courgette Cake
Tags: cookery school, cooking classes, Italian cooking, learn to cook, pasta making
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When our pink elder is in bloom and the courgettes are growing like mad in the greenhouse, this recipe is a delicious way to enjoy an early Summer glut.
You can use your own homemade elderflower cordial or a good quality shop-bought one, both give the cake a lovely fragrance. The addition of the grated courgettes keeps the sponge moist – this cake can store well in an airtight cake tin for up to 4 days.
Food & Recipes
Thursday 9th June 2022
by Kela Hodgins
Ingredients:
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g margarine or butter at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tbsp elderflower cordial
- 2 lemons – zested and juiced
- 5 large free range eggs
- 300g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 150g grated courgettes (use small ones if possible to avoid too much water content)
- 25g icing sugar
- 75g caster / granulated sugar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 160C reg or 140C fan. Grease a 20cm deep cake tin with butter then line the base with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the caster sugar and butter together until pale & fluffy. Add in the vanilla, the cordial, the zest of one of the lemons and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Beat into the sugar and butter mix until combined.
- In another bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder and leave to side. Begin beating the eggs one at a time into the butter/sugar mix, gradually adding in a large spoonful of the flour between each egg to prevent the mix curdling. When all the eggs have been beaten in, add any remaining flour to the mix.
- Fold in the grated courgettes using a spatula or large spoon then tip into the prepared tin. Level the top of the mix then place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour & 10 minutes to 1 hour & 20 minutes, it is done when a skewer inserted to the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove and allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. While cooling, prick all over the top of the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Mix the remaining lemon juice, zest, icing sugar and caster sugar together to create a syrup. Carefully remove the cake from the tin onto a wire rack then drizzle the syrup all over the top, allowing it to soak into the cake. Leave to cool completely before serving.
