Serves 8 - 10
Ingredients
- 250g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 225g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons
- 3–4 fresh fennel flowers in seed, or 3 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 3 Stonegate Organic eggs
- 200ml good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- 60g thick Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 275g courgettes, coarsely grated
For the mascarpone, lemon and olive oil icing
- 250g mascarpone
- 75g icing sugar, sifted
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- A small pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar, to finish
- A little extra lemon zest, to finish
- A little extra virgin olive oil, to finish, optional
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a roughly 35 x 20cm rectangular baking tin with baking parchment, leaving a little overhang on the long sides to help lift the cake out later.
Place the grated courgettes in a sieve and leave to drain for 10 minutes. Give them a gentle squeeze to remove any excess moisture, but don't dry them out completely.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl.
Put the caster sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and fennel flowers or seeds and rub them into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant. Crack in the eggs and whisk for 2–3 minutes, until pale and slightly thickened.
Gradually whisk in the olive oil until smooth and glossy, then whisk in the yoghurt and vanilla.
Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in three additions until almost combined. Fold in the courgettes until evenly distributed and no streaks of flour remain.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Bake for 50 minutes, then begin checking every 5 minutes. The cake is ready when it is well risen and golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then use the baking parchment to lift it onto a wire rack and leave until completely cold.
For the icing, place the mascarpone in a bowl with the icing sugar, lemon zest and salt. Mix gently until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, folding it through until the icing is thick, smooth and silky. Avoid overbeating, as mascarpone can become loose if worked too much.
Spread the icing generously over the cooled cake, leaving it slightly uneven. Place the cake in the fridge for 25–30 minutes to allow the icing to set.
Just before serving, sprinkle over the demerara sugar and finish with a little extra lemon zest and, if you like, a tiny drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil.
