This time of year brings an abundance of over-size courgettes and this loaf is a truly delicious way to use them up.
My recipe uses a good amount of shredded courgette – at least 250g per loaf – because the whole point is to use them up. It is also low in sugar and made with butter, which of course makes it better! The batter is very thick and pasty before the cougettes are added: worry not – the wetness of the vegetable sorts everything out before it goes into the oven.
Ingredients
- 70g butter, softened, plus a little more for buttering the loaf pan
- 70g sugar
- 35g soft brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250-300g coarse grated courgette
- 200g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp whole allspice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 75g walnuts
Method
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Preheat your oven to 180° C. Butter a loaf pan well.
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In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars, then add the eggs and vanilla, and stir to combine.
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In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder and salt.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently to combine, being careful to not over mix.
- Grate in 250g of courgette – you can try more (up to 300g) once you have got used to the recipe.
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Stir in the walnuts
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Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, dot the top with the cinnamon and allspice and bake for 55-65 minutes.
NOTE: I pick off the allspice and cloves after baking: they have done their job and can be a bit hard on the gnashers!
Sprucing the Goose 