Wednesday, 21 August 2013

Great British Bake off inspiration

Inspired by the new series of the Great British Bake off, and keeping smallholding traditions alive, I've dug out an old favourite of ours - Chocolate Courgette Cake, don't worry you can't really taste the courgettes, it's a bit like the carrots in carrot cake.

I found this recipe in an edition of a smallholders magazine, cut it out and stuck in into one of my home-made recipe books.  I can't remember which magazine it was in, it was a number of years ago now, but I bring it out every year in courgette glut season.

Ingredients -

200g / 7oz Plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp Salt
115g / 4oz Sugar - I used granulated
2 Eggs
175ml / 6 fl oz Vegetable oil - I used sunflower
175g / 6oz Plain chocolate - use the best you can afford, I used Bournville
225g / 8oz Courgettes - doesn't matter what colour, mine were yellow


  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt and sugar

  • Beat the eggs with the oil in a separate bowl

  • Place the chocolate in a Bain Marie, or in a bowl over a pan of hot water and let it melt slowly over the heat, don't let the chocolate bubble
  • Grate the courgettes and squeeze them gently to get rid of excess moisture
  • Beat the eggs and oil mixture into the dry ingredients and stir in the melted chocolate and courgettes

  • Spread the mixture into a greased cake tin, I used a deep round one that I make the Christmas cake in, and bake at 180Deg C / 350Deg F / Gas 4, for between 30 - 60 minutes.  If you find the top getting burnt and the inside still yet to finish cooking, place a sheet of tin foil over the top.
  • Remove the cake from the tin and let it cool.  Serve on its own or with cream, yoghurt etc



The finished cake - enjoy!

Stats today -

Eggs produced = 10

Sales -
1/2 dozen eggs £0.90

Expenses - 
Nil

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