Due to a glut of rather large courgettes from the allotment, James suggested it was about time I turned one of them into a cake. After finding a variety of recipes online, I took inspiration from a few, and came up with the following.
12 oz (350g) Gluten and Wheat Free self raising flour
2 oz (50g) cocoa powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp mixed spice
11 oz (325g) caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
200ml sunflower oil
500ml peeled and grated courgette (measured in a measuring jug)
For the icing
1 ½ oz (40g) cocoa powder
4 oz (110g) icing sugar
Water to mix
1. Mix the flour, xanthan gum, mixed spice, cocoa and sugar together in a large bowl or food mixer.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, oil and grated courgette and mix well until combined.
3. Transfer to a 20cm round greased and lined cake tin.
4. Bake at 160Cfan/180C/gas 4 for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. If the grated courgettes are very moist, then it may take a little longer.
5. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool.
6. For the icing, sieve the cocoa powder and icing sugar together in a bowl. Gradually add a few drops of water at a time, mixing in between each addition. Pour over cooled cake. Leave to set.
I did add some GF baking powder as well just to make sure it rose, but it really wasn't necessary! The cake mix could easily take some more sugar and cocoa, so I would probably up the quantities of both by a few ounces next time.
