Happy Easter! Carrot and Courgette Cake

Carrot & Courgette Cake

Love carrot cake? This recipe puts a healthy twist on the classic and has the option to add courgette—perfect if, like me, you have them growing in your garden! No courgettes? No problem—just use all carrots. It has more fibre and less sugar than a traditional carrot cake but is just as delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-raising flour

• 6 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda

• 1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 rounded tsp mixed spice

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 3/4 cup of brown sugar

• 1/2 cup oil

• 1 cup grated carrot

• 1 cup grated courgette (squeeze in a tea towel or paper towel to remove excess water)

• 1 large banana, mashed

• 1 cup sultanas or raisins

• 1 large orange, juice and zest

• 250g lite cream cheese

• 6tbsp icing sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice and zest ½ lemon

How to make:

1. Sift flour and baking powder, soda and spices and set aside.

2. Beat together eggs and oil.

3. Add sugar, mashed banana, chia seeds, orange juice and zest.

4. Add sifted flour, spices and baking soda/powder and beat together.

5. Fold in grated vegetables and sultanas/raisins.

6. Put into a greased and lined 20cm round tin and cook at 165 degrees for 50 mins to 1 hour or until golden brown, and when you insert a skewer, it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

7. Beat together the topping ingredients until smooth and spread over the cake.

8. Sprinkle with seeds and serve (yields approx 14 slices), and it freezes well, too!

Adapt it: Courgettes not in season? Add more carrot instead!

Nutrition approx per slice:
1293 kJ | 309 kcals
41g Carbohydrates | 26g of which Sugars
13g Fat | 3.3g of which Saturated
5.7g Protein | 3.2g Fibre | 480mg Sodium