I have always had a bit of a weird relationship with zucchini or courgettes as we call them here in the UK, I though I hated them but I guess that I was wrong (I have found this with quite a few Ingredients), when this zucchini cake came along, wow I was in love. now I need to try them in all forms to check if I like them in other ways, hence the sudden fridge full of them. this cake though wow, I shared it with the whole family as I wanted every one to experience it because it was that good. the recipe is from Tessa from style sweet ca new book “layered” and its amazing, to be honest the whole book looks incredible and I wanted to go and bake from it straight away (I’m not lying,  I was at the supermarket buying courgettes less than an hour after I read it), and there wasn’t a single cake in the whole book that I didn’t want to try I urge/insist you go out and grab a copy.

the frosting for this cake has goats cheese in it, and it was so good and the zingy lemon drizzle icing on the top was my favouriate.

recipe

for the zucchini sponge

• 2 1/2 cups (315g) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. (150ml) grapeseed oil (I used olive oil)
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini drained (225g)
• 3 tbsp. buttermilk
• 1 tsp lemon juice

directions

preheat the oven to 350f 180c

grease and line 4 15cm tins.

sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices and set aside, in a bowl beat together the oil and sugar and lemon zest for 2 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time stopping to scrape down the sides. turn the mixer to low and add the flour in two batches mixing slowly untiled mixed in the add the zucchini and buttermilk and lemon juice and mix in, separate into the 4 tins and bake for approx. 24 to 26 mins. let cool

goats cheese frosting

• 4 ounces (115g) soft goats cheese
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups (375g) icing sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

beat the butter and goats cheese together with the icing sugar then add the vanilla and milk (or double cream as I did)

spread on a third of the buttercream with a spatula on to one of the layers of sponge and then add the next layer of sponge and then spread on some more of the frosting then add the next sponge, then make the drizzle

(I made a few changes as added only 100g icing sugar and used 300ml double cream instead of the milk to make the frosting spread a bit further)

lemon drizzle

• 1 cup (125g icing sugar)
• 2 to three tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp grated lemon juice

mix all the ingredients together to make a thick icing and pour over the cake and let drizzle down the sides.