What to do with all those courgettes: #1. Dolce Zucchini Cake

To ensure that this courgette and pine nut cake has a sweet taste, it is best made only in early summer, when the courgettes are still very small.

Ingredients

150g Unsalted butter, softened

175g Caster sugar

3 Eggs

225g Plain flour

1 tsp Baking powder

225g Sultanas or dried vine fruits

300g Small courgettes, grated

70g Pine nuts

1 Lemon, finely grated zest and juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm high-sided flan tin or springform cake tin.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating constantly
3. Sieve the flour and baking powder in and fold in with the sultanas, grated courgettes, 50g pine nuts and the lemon zest and juice.
4. Transfer the thick batter to the tin and scatter with the remaining pine nuts. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40–45 minutes.
5. When ready, the cake will be slightly brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before turning it out.