Elderflower, Lemon & Courgette Cake

When our pink elder is in bloom and the courgettes are growing like mad in the greenhouse, this recipe is a delicious way to enjoy an early Summer glut.

You can use your own homemade elderflower cordial or a good quality shop-bought one, both give the cake a lovely fragrance. The addition of the grated courgettes keeps the sponge moist - this cake can store well in an airtight cake tin for up to 4 days.

Elderflower, Lemon & Courgette Cake

Ingredients:

• 250g caster sugar
• 250g margarine or butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 tbsp elderflower cordial
• 2 lemons - zested and juiced
• 5 large free range eggs
• 300g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 150g grated courgettes (use small ones if possible to avoid too much water content)
• 25g icing sugar
• 75g caster / granulated sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160C reg or 140C fan. Grease a 20cm deep cake tin with butter then line the base with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the caster sugar and butter together until pale & fluffy. Add in the vanilla, the cordial, the zest of one of the lemons and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Beat into the sugar and butter mix until combined.
3. In another bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder and leave to side. Begin beating the eggs one at a time into the butter/sugar mix, gradually adding in a large spoonful of the flour between each egg to prevent the mix curdling. When all the eggs have been beaten in, add any remaining flour to the mix.
4. Fold in the grated courgettes using a spatula or large spoon then tip into the prepared tin. Level the top of the mix then place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour & 10 minutes to 1 hour & 20 minutes, it is done when a skewer inserted to the middle of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove and allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. While cooling, prick all over the top of the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Mix the remaining lemon juice, zest, icing sugar and caster sugar together to create a syrup. Carefully remove the cake from the tin onto a wire rack then drizzle the syrup all over the top, allowing it to soak into the cake. Leave to cool completely before serving.