The Frugaldom Courgette Cake Challenge

Chocolate Cake with Courgette & Raspberries

We've been baking cakes with courgettes here in Frugaldom for several years now, so this year is nothing new - except several more of you have asked about how to make the courgette cakes.

 

This is a great time of year for making the most of your surplus fruit and vegetables, even if it does mean baking them into cakes of what one may normally consider odd combinations.

 

Believe me when I tell you that the combination of chocolate, courgette and raspberry is delicious.

 

Rule number 1 - Never be afraid to experiment with recipes if you are content to eat the end results, regardless of how they turn out after cooking.

 

Various recipes exist, but I use the following, based on Shaz's original recipe, adapted to suit what I have available in my baking cupboard and garden:

 

Original Recipe Ingredients

 

250g grated courgette
2 eggs
125ml vegetable oil
150g sugar
200g self raising flour
25g cocoa powder
Handful of lightly crushed pistachios (optional)
Half a teaspoon each of bicarbonate of soda and baking powder

 

My Ingredients Today

 

125g grated courgette (from garden)

125g raspberries (from garden)
1 duck egg (from garden birds)

2 quail eggs (from garden birds)
60ml vegetable oil

65ml melted margarine (25p per tin from Approved Food*)
150g sugar
200g flour (Gluten free bread flour with sunflower and sesame seeds from Approved Food*)
25g cocoa powder 

Handful of raisins (optional) 

Half a teaspoon each of bicarbonate of soda and baking powder

 

Method

 

Beat the eggs, sugar and oil/margarine together, add the dry ingredients, then the grated courgettes, raspberries and sultanas, stir well.

 

Grease and/or line 2 x 2lb loaf tins or 1 x 10inch round cake tin.

 

Split the mix into the two tins if using the loaf tins, otherwise bake it all in the larger tin.

 

Bake at gas 4 / 180deg C for about 45 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

 

Leave to cool before slicing.

 

If you decide to try making courgette cakes, don't forget to photograph them and share your results with our frugal baking challengers in the forum that can be found here.

 

Owing to the fact that I had no self-raising flour and chose to use the gluten free bread flour, my loaves didn't rise as well as they may have. Having now cooled, I have sliced the first one, three of us have had a sample - it is extremely tasty and has a moist, sponge-like texture. The top photo shows a close up of the finished, sliced cake.

 

In a word, 'yummy'!

 

 

This is my entry into the Frugaldom Courgette Cake Challenge. I hope you all enjoy taking part this year.

 

Off for a coffee,

NYK in Frugaldom

 

 

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