Say hello to one of my most popular cakes, ever! Some years ago I supplied cakes and bakes to a lovely local artisan coffee shop in Marlow. Without doubt this, with my carrot cake were the best sellers. Made with sunflower oil, it keeps for several days in the fridge without deteriorating, if you can resist! It is also possible to make a dairy free version by switching the cream cheese frosting with a non-dairy cheese such as Violife, adding icing sugar to taste along with the zest of a lime.
If like me you grow courgettes, this is an ideal recipe for making a small dent in your glut. The great thing about courgettes though, apart from their abundance is their versatility. They are great fried, roasted, baked or braised. Then of course, grated into a cake batter, makes a cake wonderfully moist.
This cake, I would say, is a crowd pleaser, works so well as a dessert and ideal for afternoon tea.
Courgette, Pistachio and Lime Cake
Equipment
- 20cm deep cake tin
Ingredients
- 170 g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
- 2 eggs medium
- 200 g sunflower oil
- 240 g golden caster sugar
- 60 g unsalted pistachios chopped
- 50 g unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 140 g courgette grated
- 1 egg white medium
- 2 limes zest of
- ¼ tsp cloves ground
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 65 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 65 g icing sugar
- 1 lime zest
- 175 g cream cheese full fat
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 20 g unsalted pistachios roughly chopped
- 1 tsp desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/Gas 3 Grease a 20cm deep cake tin and line the base with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground cloves into a bowl, add the salt.
- Coarsely grate the courgette and squeeze out some of the liquid.
- Pour the sunflower oil into a large bowl and add the caster sugar mix lightly with the balloon whisk for a minute or two. Add the two eggs and whisk again for a couple of minutes. Now at the chopped, pistachios, coconut, lime zest and courgette and then add the sifted dry ingredients and fold with a spatula into the wet ingredients, don’t over mix.
- Whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form then gently fold into the cake batter again being careful not to over mix.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 55 minutes to an hour. Ovens do vary, check to see if it's fully baked by inserting a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake, it should come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter with the icing sugar until really light and fluffy. Add the lime zest, juice and cream cheese. Briefly whisk again until smooth and well combined, don’t over mix.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on the top of the cake. Finally chop the pistachios and combine with the coconut, sprinkle on the cake and serve.
If you do find yourself overwhelmed with courgettes right now, you could try this recipe for Sumac Spiced Courgette Dip.
Tips:
- Dairy-free? No problem, switch the cream cheese frosting with Violife Non-Dairy Cheese sweetened with a little icing sugar and flavoured with lime zest.
- This cake works equally well made with gluten-free flour, I like Doves Farm.
Herby Courgette & Feta Tart
Made this cake. I am not a master baker, but the cake turned out almost exactly like the picture and tasted gorgeous – not just my own opinion, endorsed by my family! Definitely a keeper
Hello Gordon, thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so delighted you like my recipe and found it easy to follow.
Hi Louise, the cake looks so delicious. I do not eat eggs, what could I replace with please. Many thanks.
Hi Anju, thank you! So when I can’t use egg in a cake recipe I replace it with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. To 1 egg use 1 tsp b. Soda & 2 tsp vinegar. So in other words double the above for this cake. I haven’t actually tried this method with this particular cake so I cannot tell you how it turns out I’m afraid.
Hi Louise, this recipe is amazing! I’ve made it a few times and it goes down a storm! I need to make it without the pistachios and coconut, how would you compensate? Would you up the Courgette or the flour? Thanks!
Thank you so much, glad you like my recipe. You can replace the pistachios with the same quantity of flour or use almonds. Just omit the coconut all together.
This cake is delicious. Just discovered it at the end of courgette season!
Thank you, I’m solo pleased you like it. A keeper for next year ;-))
Used this recipe for my entry to my office bake off and won! Family absolutely love it as well, it’s become my go to bake. So delicious and fresh in flavour.
In case you aren’t aware, I noticed Angellica Bell has released a cook book with a recipe shockingly similar to yours. Has she credited you?
https://planetradio.co.uk/scala-radio/entertainment/food-drink/scala-radio-angellica-bell-courgette-pistachio-lime-cake/
Hi Jenny, that’s amazing, so glad you like it.
I wasn’t aware and yes it is shockingly similar!
Absolutely delicious cake! I made it to make good use of our summer courgette glut and it went down so well that my son requested courgette cake for his birthday! Really moist, zingy and an easy bake. Thank you Louise!!
A really delicious cake! I first made it to make good use of our courgette glut and ‘courgette cake’ was then requested by my son for his fourth birthday! Really moist and zingy, and an easy bake. Thank you Louise
So pleased to hear it Elena and thanks for taking the time to comment :-))
Hi, would it be possible to make a gluten free version of this cake? Thanks?
Hi, yes sure, if you just substitute the plain flour with a gluten-free equivalent.
This cake is magical!🥰 Packed with deliciousness! A great combination of flavours. It’s delicate and moist. I baked in a fan oven for 53 minutes and turned in the oven at 45 minutes to allow even baking. The frosting is rather lovely too. A beautiful cake and definitely a keeper! It baked to perfection. A lovely change to 🥕 carrot. Thank you for sharing the recipe Louise.
Deborah, I’m delighted you like this recipe because it’s one of my favourites too :-))
I’m so happy to hear you like this recipe Deborah, it’s one of my favourites. The added citrus zing really makes it.
I don’t normally comment but I can’t believe this cake only has 4 ratings. It’s amazing! So yummy!
Everyone should make it.
So pleased you like it Victoria. One of my favourites too!
I’m delighted you like this recipe Deborah, it’s a big hit in my house too :-))
Have just come across your wonderful site when searching for Lime and Pistachio……. so have begun there – and this cake disappeared in moments at a family gathering with a request that ‘grandma do again’!! Thrilled to have found a ‘keeper’ – thank you and there are others on a list to bake as well………………..
So delighted your family loved this cake. Lime and pistachio is such a delicious combination. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Odd, it doesn’t taste like courgette, or pistachio or lime…its fluffy and sweet…but…odd really.
Thanks for giving the recipe a go. The courgette is really just there to keep the cake moist, rather than to add any strong flavour, so it’s not unusual that it doesn’t come through. I’m not sure why the pistachios and lime didn’t stand out for you though—especially the lime, as the zest usually adds quite a bit of flavour.
Yea, I didn’t expect courgette but had expected pistachio and lime…both of which I had added a bit more. It was Ok and we ate it. No worries. Just about to make your red currant cake, so we’re not put off! 😉 Love your site. thanks