Courgette and Walnut Cake

350g courgettes

100g chopped walnuts

250g sunflower oil – by weight

4 medium eggs

175g light muscavado sugar

175g golden granulated sugar

grated zest of half and orange

100g wholemeal flour

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1.     Pre-heat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4

2.     Grease and line two 20cm deep sandwich tins, or if you are making the loaf versions, line two 2lb loaf tins. I usually cheat with the loaves and use the liners that can be bought in most supermarkets now!

3.     Coarsely grate the courgettes and squeeze out as much juice as possible in a clean tea towel

4.     Place in a large mixing bowl with the chopped walnuts

5.     Blend the eggs, oil, sugars and orange zest in a food processor

6.     Pour the mixture onto the courgettes

7.     Sift the other ingredients on and mix well. The batter will be quite soft.

8.     Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 25-30 minutes for the sandwich tins and 40-50 minutes for the loaf tins. A skewer will come out clean, the top will be golden brown and feel firm to the touch and the cake will be shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin.

9.     Leave to cool in the tin.

If you have made the loaf tins, use a cream cheese and icing sugar mix topping. If you have made the sandwich version, use the same cream cheese in the middle, along with lemon curd and more of the cream cheese on top. Courgettes are one of your five a day, so why not?!

The cake is quite soft and sticky and will stay moist for several days, if it lasts that long!