Ginger Drizzle Cake (with clandestine courgette)

Ok I know it sounds like a really scary concept to those who have not eaten cakes laced with vegetables - but it is delicious, think of it as an extension of the carrot cake premise. The veg keeps it moist and delicious, not sure if it will count towards your "Five a Day" but its worth a try!

I have half a ton of courgettes to use at the moment so I am experimenting with all kinds of creative ways to use them up, this recipie even works well with your courgettes gone crazy who are veering towards a career as a marrow. The inspiration for this recipe came from a freind from the US, where courgettes masquereade under the name of Zuchinni, I've been fiddling and experimenting with it for a while and this is the result... amazingly it tastes gorgeous!!

Try it - go on....

Ginger Drizzle Cake (with clandestine courgette)

1/3 cup crystallized ginger (1 3/4 oz), coarsely chopped
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups finely grated courgette (if you are using a marrow wannabe scrape out the centre)
3/4 cup light olive oil
3/4 cup honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten (preferably duck but I would say that as I have a daily supply!)
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the ginger drizzle
1/4 cup Freshly grated ginger root
85g caster sugar
a little water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease one large loaf tin or two small loaf tins

Pulse crystallized ginger in food processor until finely ground, then add flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, zest, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and pulse until combined.

Whisk courgette, oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl, then stir in flour mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among tins and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, this should take 25 to 30 minutes, possibly less if you have a fan oven.

Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from tins and cool completely, 1 hour.

Make syrup:

Fine grate the fresh ginger root and sieve juice through a piece of linen or gauze. Squeeze to extract all of the juice. Mix this juice with your sugar, add a tiny bit of water if required.

With a skewer stab the top of your cooled cake. The more stabs the better the drizzle will spread. I use a skewer to allow me to stab right to the bottom of the cake to make sure the drizzle doesn't just drizzle the top!


I've been promising this recipe to lots of freinds for age so - Done!! Enjoy :)