This recipe for courgette cake is a big hit with kids, who aren’t able to tell that there are vegetables hiding in the mixture!A great addition to cakes, this vegetable makes them both sweet and moist - and other popular courgette cake recipes include courgette, lemon and poppy seed cake. Courgette is quite bland on its own, making it the perfect addition to your sweet treats, and when baked a lot of water comes out of the grated vegetable, which ensures that the cake mixture will stay moist. Young kids from the age of 4 or 5 are able to get involved in the kitchen making this recipe, as it is fairly simple and doesn’t require anything too complicated or dangerous. Have your kids weigh out and measure each of the ingredients ahead of time, laying them out so that they are easy to access once you begin cooking. If you are using a freestanding mixer, then let the kids take control of the cooking, following your instructions and under adult supervision. If you are using a hand mixer, have young kids get involved by pouring in the ingredients, whilst you control the mixer.How to Make Chocolate Courgette CakeFollow this easy chocolate courgette cake recipe to make a delicious sweet treat that will serve 6. The total time is around 55 minutes from start to finish (10 - 15 minutes prep time, and 45 minutes cooking time).You will need a 20 x 35 cm baking tin, lined with greaseproof paper.Ingredients:120g unsalted butter, room temperature125 ml sunflower oil200g soft brown sugar100g caster sugar3 eggs, lightly beaten130 ml milk350g plain flour2 teaspoons baking powder4 tablespoons cocoa powder450g courgette, finely grated1 tsp vanilla extractMethod:Preheat the oven to 190-degrees CBeat the butter, sunflower oil, caster sugar and brown sugar until the mix becomes light and fluffy, gradually beating in the eggs, then beating in the milk.Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into the wet mixture, folding it through gently until it is smooth.Stir in the grated courgette and the vanilla extract, and transfer the mixture into the baking tin.Bake the cake, checking to see if it is cooked after 35 minutes. To check if the cake is cooked, insert a skewer in the centre of the cake - it is ready when the skewer comes out clean.Cut the cake into squares whilst it is still warm. The cake is best stored in an airtight container, and you can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.Alternatives, Substitutions and Dietary RequirementsYou can easily substitute the 350g plain flour and 2 tsp baking powder for 350g of self-raising flour.For a gluten-free option substitute the plain flour for a gluten-free version, taking note of the suggestions on the packet. Consider adding a little more baking powder to the flour to ensure that the cake is light and fluffy even without the gluten.For a dairy-free option, use substitutes for the butter and milk: coconut butter or dairy-free spread works well in baking, and almond milk or oat milk are delicious alternatives.Normally you can swap eggs for chia seeds, however, as there are three eggs in this courgette chocolate cake recipe this isn’t a suitable substitute (as chia seeds work best in cakes that require fewer eggs). For some egg-free baking inspiration, why not take a look at this blog with lots of egg-free biscuit recipes to try?
This recipe for courgette cake is a big hit with kids, who aren’t able to tell that there are vegetables hiding in the mixture!
