COURGETTE PASSION CAKE
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250g caster sugar
25g pine nuts
25g sultanas
175g mashed ripe bananas, about 2
3 large eggs, beaten
250g grated mixed carrots and courgettes
150ml sunflower oil
Frosting
150g cream cheese
120g butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
250g sieved icing suger
finely grated mixed carrot and courgette for decoration
Pre-heat oven to 180C and line 22cm deep cake tin with baking parchment.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, pine nuts and sultanas. Mix well, then add the mashed bananas and beaten eggs. Stir in the grated vegetables and finally the oil, then beat the cake thoroughly for a minute, to a thick, slightly lumpy mixture
Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Leave for a few minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and leave it to cool completely on wire rack.
To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together with the vanilla essence until smooth, then gradually beat in the sugar. Leave the icing to stand in a cool place for about 30 minutes, to harden it slightly, then spread over the cake. A little finely shredded courgettes and carrot makes a perfect decoration, either in tiny mounds around the edge of the cake, or in the centre
FOTO- Wian Swart
