By Rick Mason
I know, right! Vegetables in a cake…what an abomination! Or so I thought. I can comfortably and confidently say that I am now converted and will be exploring other vegetable-based cake recipes after trying Nash’s courgette cake with lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting!
Some of you who read this will remember the Round Robin at our recent face to face network event at Sandal RUFC where Clifton House shared their recent enjoyment of this cake. Like many in the room that day, I heard the word “Cake” and “delicious” and I was sold. Cake is always a winner in our house! I reached out to Nash to get this recipe and set about getting my ingredients. I hit up Asda (other supermarkets are available) and filled my basket, feeling smug that I was baking with vegetables, though still somewhat dubious about vegetables in cake!
The bake itself was really simple and straightforward, and the recipe was very easy to follow, along with a couple of handy little hints from Nash to help me on my way, which I was very grateful for, as it was Sunday afternoon, and my brain was half asleep. I always forget how much joy baking brings me, just the simple act of mixing seemingly random ingredients together to create something awesome. There did seem to be a lot of grated courgette, but I continued nonetheless. Once all my ingredients were mixed, I was sceptical that there would be enough mixture to fill the two 8” cake pans I had lovingly prepared, but I trusted the recipe.
I need not have worried about the apparent lack of mix, as the cake rose beautifully in the oven, and was smelling amazing, filling the house with that unmistakeable aroma of home baking that will bring a smile and a contented sigh to anyone who gets a whiff of it. Out of the oven it came, and I left it to cool, eager to crack open the lemon curd and mix my cream cheese frosting, but patience proved to be a virtue.
Fast forward an hour and the cake is frosted and constructed, and I am rather proud of what I have achieved, even if I do say so myself. I still had to try the cake. After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So on the kettle went, a steaming hot mug of coffee was made and a generous slice of cake was plated up. Not to blow my own trumpet, but the cake was DELICIOUS! And the thing that surprised me the most was that I couldn’t actually taste the courgette! It did however give the cake some moisture and it was wonderfully soft.
I am now sat here, after 3 slices, feeling bloated but satisfied with my efforts. I’m looking forward to sharing the rest of the cake with the in-laws at dinner tomorrow evening to see what they think! After being sceptical about baking cakes with vegetables, I am definitely keen to try more recipes like this, and I recommend you do to! In fact, why don’t you have a go and share your experiences? After all, baking is said to help relieve stress and anxiety and gives an overwhelming sense of achievement.
Happy baking!
Thank you for reading! Rick.