Hidden veg!
When you think of hidden vegetables in cake, you might automatically think of carrot cake. Well, that carrot is not so hidden but it does make for a really delicious cake! If you look back at historic cake recipes, you will find there are numerous many recipes which use vegetables. I used to use a delicious chocolate mud cake using potatoes (yes really) and chocolate beetroot cake is good too. This lemon cake was created with a special friend in mind, who requested a recipe using this vegetable! You’ll need to check out the recipe to see what it is!
The Cake Recipe
This recipe follows the basic cake recipe I created which always works well. There is butter and sugar, plain flour and baking powder, then yogurt and apple cider vinegar as the egg replacer. Of course there is lemon, then the secret ingredient! Any ideas what it might be?
A light lemony sponge loaf with a secret hidden vegetable.
- 90 g plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 75 g courgette (approx 1 medium)
- 40 ml lemon juice
- 100 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 150 g plain flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Put the yogurt in a small bowl or mug and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
Using a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, strip the green (or yellow) from your courgette so you are just left with the creamy white flesh. (You can toss the peelings in oil and spice and roast for a tasty snack). Cut both ends off, then grate the courgette. Pour the lemon juice over the courgette, mix together and leave to soak.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the yogurt.
Sieve the flour, baking powder and bicarb in to the bowl and gently mix everything together.
Add your courgette to the batter along with any remaining juice. Gently fold through then spoon into your prepared tin (or muffin cases).
Bake at Gas Mark 5 for 60-70 minutes (30-35 minutes for muffins). When cooked, the cake will be slightly brown on top and will have pulled away from the sides of your tin.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool fully on a wire rack. Enjoy!
What do I need?
Hopefully you already have a well equipped kitchen and will be able to make this cake with what you have! However, if you are new to baking or you just fancy something new, here are a few products which are useful for this recipe. I do receive a small commission if you purchase through these links (please do) which costs you the same as buying directly from Amazon! These pennies add up to help pay for website hosting fees.
Serving
I would serve this cake with a lovely cup of tea… unless it is morning, then I would serve it with coffee! Feel free to make yourself a lemony buttercream if you wish, or add a lemon icing drizzle on top. You could even go ultra fancy and crystalize some lemon rind to sprinkle on top!
Storage
Really?! Well, if you do happen to have any cake left, you can store it covered on the worktop, or in an airtight container. If you do use buttercream, you might want to pop it in the fridge (especially if your house is very warm). You can, as with all cakes, slice into portions, wrap and freeze.
Sharing
I really hope you make this delicious cake, even if you have an aversion to courgette! When you do share it, please let me know if everyone thinks the courgette is bits of lemon rind! Will you tell them the secret ingredient or keep it quiet? I love seeing your adaptions and interpretations of my recipes and I’d love to see photos of your cake! Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
What else would you like a recipe for? Have you got any recipes you would like to see veganised?
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
This sounds right up my street, Laurena💛 Thank you for using the courgette in this💚 Good tip about frying off the peelings too👍 I shall send you a photo when I make it… First, I plan to make a ‘galactoboureko’ (custard filo tart) for Father’s Day, wish me luck with the custard lol. Obviously I won’t be making the filo myself hehe.
It’s another bank holiday for us, there seem to be quite a few on a Thursday haha; spent it cleaning the windows- I’d forgotten how much muck accumulates in a year. I didn’t fancy doing it at the weekend when it’ll be 38′ here🥵 Hope you’re doing ok in this heat x
You’re welcome! I might have ‘had to’ eat a lot of cake this week whilst trying to get the recipe perfect! 🙈 I knew you’d somehow get me liking lemons in food!😜 Ooo, filo custard tart, I might try that too! I was going to mention Sunday but decided not to! How funny having a bank holiday Thursday… is Friday a normal working day or do people skive off🙈 My windows really need cleaning- my car too… thought I might ask the teenager on Monday🤣 We’ve got your weather 🎉 less achy joints and more productivity for me (says she writing this from the hot tub😜). Tomorrow could be up to 33c here!🎉🤣
Aww about Sunday😘 Thanks for taking one for the team, getting the recipe right 😋 Re the bank hols, Raf informs me the Thursday ones tend to be called ‘bridge days’ and it’s common to take the Friday off (he’s not done this yet lol).
I’m glad to hear the heat/sun is better for your joints🙂 I’m seriously thinking of putting some socks in the freezer hehe, not been able to sleep much these past few days. Anyway, have a lovely weekend in advance🎉🎊
I think we should have every Friday as a ‘bridge day’🙈Apparently there’s a 6 month trial just started here of a 4 day working week! Lol at socks in the freezer… the Doctor who started that theory was on the local radio today saying it’s amazing how far that travelled but unfortunately material tends to warm up as soon as you touch it! 🙈 Better to open 2 windows/doors opposite each other to create fresh circulating air. Cake and ice cream would be a cooling idea!😜
Ooh, thanks for saying that about the socks hehe. Sod’s law we don’t have windows or doors opposite each other lol. Yes, I heard that about the four-day week: seems to be a success in Japan. I hope there aren’t too many reactionaries/contrarians to that progressive concept🤪