Courgette Citrus Drizzle

This recipe was born out of necessity last summer when I was staying at my parents house and the vegetable plot was exploding with courgettes! It is a very simple variation on a classic lemon drizzle and it tastes like a slice of sunshine. 

I used lemon originally but since I've been making it with grapefruit 🍊 which gives a slightly more complex flavour but either are wonderful. I love to serve it with fresh cherries which just so happen to also be abundance at this time of year!

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1 large or 2 small courgettes grated

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

zest and juice of 1 grapefruit or 2 lemons

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup sunflower oil

For the syrup:

1/2 cup citrus juice

2 tbsp maple syrup

For the topping:

1 cup icing sugar

2 tbsp citrus juice

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Preheat the oven to 180oC and line a loaf tin with baking parchment.

Grate the courgette into a large mixing bowl and add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and once combined add to the courgette/flour mixture. Fold everything together until you have a smooth batter and then pour into your prepared tin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and springs back when touched. 

Whilst the cake is cooking you can make your syrup. Bring the juice and maple syrup to the boil and reduce the liquid by half. Remove and set aside.

When the cake is done, remove from the oven and using a skewer or fork prick holes all over the loaf so the syrup can seep in. Whilst still warm pour the syrup over the cake and then allow to cool and absorb the syrup before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack.

For the drizzle: whisk together the sugar and citrus juice until you have a smooth paste and then drizzle over the cooled cake. I like to decorate it with roughly chopped pistachios which add some  texture and also mirror the flecks of green through the sponge but they are entirely optional.