Happy Easter! Carrot and Courgette Cake

Happy Easter! Carrot and courgette cake

Hands up who loves carrot cake?! Then you’ll want to give this nutritionist-approved recipe a whirl - it also has courgette added for a bonus nutrition boost. Ready to get baking? Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-raising flour

• 6 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda

• 1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 rounded tsp mixed spice

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 3/4 cup of brown sugar

• 1/2 cup oil

• 1 cup grated carrot

• 1 cup grated courgette (squeeze in a tea towel or paper towel to remove excess water)

• 1 large banana, mashed

• 1 cup sultanas or raisins

• 1 large orange, juice and zest

• 250g lite cream cheese

• 6tbsp icing sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice and zest ½ lemon

How to make:

1. Sift flour and baking powder, soda and spices and set aside.

2. Beat together eggs and oil.

3. Add sugar, mashed banana, chia seeds, orange juice and zest.

4. Add sifted flour, spices and baking soda/powder and beat together.

5. Fold in grated vegetables and sultanas/raisins.

6. Put into a greased and lined 20cm round tin and cook at 165 degrees for 50mins to 1 hour or until golden brown and when you insert a skewer, it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

7. Beat together the topping ingredients until smooth and spread over the cake.

8. Sprinkle with seeds and serve. Freezes well.

I use my Kenwood Chef to make this recipe. I grate the courgette and carrots in the food processor attachment and use the K beater in the bowl to mix the cake together. 

Adapt it: Courgettes not in season? Add more carrot instead!