Lemon Zucchini Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 8
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160g/5.6ozs. grated zucchini (around 1 medium zucchini)
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200g/7ozs. cake flour*
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1 teaspoon bicarb
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1/2 cup/60g shelled pistachios, chopped
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85g/3ozs. butter, softened
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150g/5ozs. caster or superfine sugar
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2 eggs, room temperature
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Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
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1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
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140ml/4.9ozs. milk mixed with 60ml/2.1 ozs lemon juice
For cream cheese frosting
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150g/5ozs icing or powdered sugar
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100g/3.5ozs cream cheese, room temperature
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50g/1.7ozs. butter, softened
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2 tablespoons lemon juice
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1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
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Finely grated lemon zest to decorate
Cake flour can be bought at the supermarket. You can also make it at home. To make 1 cup/150g/5.2ozs of cake flour replace 2 tablespoons of plain all purpose flour with cornflour/fine cornstarch and whisk well. I usually mix up a big batch of this and keep it in a container ready for baking cakes as it produces a softer texture.
Step 1 - Line a loaf tin with parchment on the base and sides and preheat oven to 140C/284F (yes very low). Mix the cake flour and the bicarb together in a bowl and grate the zucchini in this and add pistachios. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy and then add eggs in one at a time. Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla. Add the lemon juice curdled milk to the butter mixture alternating with the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Do not overmix. Scoop into the prepared tin and allow to sit on the benchtop for 10 minutes (this is to relax the glutens). Then bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes.
Thermomix directions: Mix the cake flour and the bicarb together in a bowl and grate the zucchini in this. Add the butter and sugar to the Thermomix bowl and beat for 4 minutes speed #4. Add the eggs in and beat for 15 seconds for each egg at speed #4. Then add the lemon zest, vanilla, lemon juice curdled milk and flour zucchini mixture. Set on reverse speed #4, 15 seconds. Scoop into the prepared tin and allow to sit on the benchtop for 10 minutes (this is to relax the glutens). Then bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes.
Step 2 -Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, Then sift the icing sugar into this mixture and add the lemon juice and vanilla bean paste. Beat on low speed at first until the sugar is incorporated and then increase speed and beat until smooth. Spread over the cake and finely grate lemon zest over the top.
Thermomix directions: Place the icing sugar in the Thermomix bowl and set to 10 seconds speed #5. Add the cream cheese, butter, lemon juice and vanilla and set to 15 seconds speed #5. Scrape down the sides and then repeat. Spread over the cake and finely grate lemon zest over the top.