KID-FRIENDLY COURGETTE CAKE RECIPE

Little MG asks if he can lick the bowl now? Lord help me!

I combined courgettes, carrot, apple and dates in this version

I use maple syrup as a sweetener, but dates can make a cake sweet enough

Crushed walnuts give the cake crunch and protein

I would have liked to present a beautiful picture of the cake on my lovely cake stand, but the family got to it first!

MG tucks into the courgette cake

This recipe is packed with goodness that tastes delicious but is healthy eating for the family.

“Can I have some more please mummy?”

My mum has an allotment and is known to leave a little bundle of fresh produce on my doorstep. One day recently, she turned up with not one, but three stunning organic courgettes, two of which were yellow, because she knows we love them. I normally slice mine into chunky strips and roast or blend up in the NutraBullet. I’m also known for chucking a load into some Toddler Muffins, but my all time favourite is a kid-friendly courgette cake recipe, which never fails to go down a treat.

So, I thought I’d share our courgette cake recipe, so good even my husband demolishes it. It’s a great way of getting a whole load of fruit and vegetables into your kids’ bellies, as they think cake, and I know it’s their 5 a day. In fact i’m sure MG thinks Courgettes are some kind of magical vegetable that are yucky next to his dinner, but transform into something magical when baked.

Which brings me to my final point, while I know baking is a science, this is a great recipe for those who like to bring their own stamp into the mix – you can play around with carrot, apple, walnuts, dates and spices to get the right flavour for you. The bonus is it’s sugar free. While the recipe includes maple syrup, you could even up the date quota or include a mashed banana to give it natural sweetness.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shredded courgette

2 cups peeled, cored and shredded apple or carrot or both combined

2 eggs

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup chopped walnuts (I just hit mine under a tea towel with a rolling pin)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons mixed spice (you could include 1 of ground ginger for a kick)

1 touch Vanilla paste

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 175 degrees
Prepare your cake tin with grease proof paper
Mix the eggs with the oil.
Mix in the flour, salt, spices and baking soda.
Stir in the nuts and shredded fruit/vegetables
Pour the batter into the pan
Bake for 40 minutes. Ignore the whines of “Is it ready yet mummy?”
Leave to cool for as long as you can. Serve warm (nice with a dollop of mascarpone) or cold

Bon Apetit!

Yvadney x