Lemon-Infused Courgette Cake Recipe With Oil

Name: Lemon-Infused Courgette Cake Recipe With Oil
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 200 g Courgettes (Zucchini) (Drained Weight); 375 g Caster Sugar; 3 Large Eggs; 350 g Plain Flour; 3 tsp Baking Powder; 175 ml Sunflower Oil; 1 tbsp Lemon Extract; 2 Lemons (Zest Only); 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice; 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar; 1 Cup Icing Sugar; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice

A deliciously moist, lemon-flavoured sponge cake with two lemon glazes on top. This lemon courgette cake is perfect for summery afternoon tea in the garden and a great way to use courgettes.

Recipe Overview

Skill Level:

Intermediate

Prep Time:

25 MINUTES

Cook Time:

60 MINUTES

A vertical image of the Lemon Courgette Cake overhead, with a slice cut out and placed on a plate next to the full cake.

The thought of courgettes in a cake may have you scratching your head a little, but trust me, this rather strange addition to a cake recipe makes sense.

Think of the way that carrot adds a moistness to the crumb of carrot cakes, grated courgettes will do the same. And, you won’t taste it at all.

If you’ve ever grown your own courgettes at home, you’ll probably know what it’s like to have a glut of courgettes and not know what to do with them. Rather than sticking to just savoury recipes like this courgette pasta or courgette soup, make the most of them and try this cake recipe. I have a good feeling that it will become a go-to recipe when you have too many courgettes to use up.

With two lemon glazes on top, this cake takes a little bit of time and patience, but it’s definitely worth the effort.

Check Out These Cake Recipes

A photo of the carrot cake traybake with a slice cut. The cake is sat on a wooden board. In the background are a white jug and dried flowers for decoration.

Moist Carrot Traybake

A classic cake in traybake form. Great for afternoon tea and picnics.

A front view of a slice of lemon cake on a white plate, with the rest of the cake in the background.

Lemon Drizzle with Fresh Blueberries

A traditional drizzle cake with the addition of fresh blueberries.

An overhead view of Battenberg cupcakes laid out in a random pattern with stars of gold and marzipan and slices of Battenberg cake in between.

Mini Battenberg Cakes

Delightful little cupcakes with the Almond flavours of Battenberg Cake.

Equipment Needed:

Large Mixing Bowl: A large bowl used for combining and mixing the dry and wet ingredients to create the cake batter.
Grater: A kitchen tool used to grate the courgettes. You can use either a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment.
Stand Mixer (optional): As an alternative to mixing the cake batter by hand, you can use a stand mixer with the whisk and paddle attachments.
Fine Mesh Bag or Muslin Cloth: Used for straining the excess moisture from the courgettes.
Lemon Zester: A tool designed specifically for zesting lemons. However, you can also use a fine box grater too.
23cm (9inch) Round Cake Tin: Used to bake and shape the cake.
Parchment Paper: Non-stick baking paper used to line the cake tin, preventing the cake from sticking and allowing easy removal.
Cooling Rack: A wire rack placed under the cake after baking to allow it to cool evenly and prevent the bottom from becoming soggy.
Weighing Scales: Measuring scales are essential for accurately measuring the ingredients.
Whisk: Used to combine the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly, ensuring an even distribution and smooth batter.
Lemon Juicer: A tool to extract fresh lemon juice, which is used for the lemon glaze and added lemony flavour. You can also squeeze them by hand if you prefer.
Small Bowl: To mix the lemon glazes in.

Ingredients:

Courgettes (Zucchini) – You can use any size courgettes you want, just remove the skin and seeds from larger ones first. Both yellow courgettes and green ones work well.
Caster Sugar – You can use white or golden caster sugar in this recipe.
Eggs – Make sure they are fresh and at room temperature before using.
Plain Flour – We use a plain white all-purpose flour for this cake.
Baking Powder – This is our leavening (rising) agent, allowing the cake to rise and make it light and fluffy. Make sure it’s fresh and has been opened within the last 6 months.
Sunflower Oil – We use this neutral tasting oil to the cake batter in place of butter. It makes the cake moist and rich.
Lemon Extract – The flavour of this extract is more concentrated than fresh lemon juice alone, this adds an intense lemon flavour to the cake, making it taste fresh and summery.
Lemon Zest and Juice – The zest is used in the cake batter to add a lemon flavour to the cake. The juice is used for the two glazes which are poured over the top of the cake in a similar fashion to a lemon drizzle cake. You can also add extra zest as a decoration on top of the cake, if you choose to. The most important thing is to only use unwaxed lemon in this recipe.
Granulated Sugar – Mixed with the lemon juice, this is poured over the cake to be absorbed as it leaves the oven. You can use caster sugar in its place if you need to but it won’t have the same texture.
Icing (confectioners) Sugar – Used for the second glaze, combined with the lemon juice, it will set and give a crunchy lemon flavoured bite to the top of the cake.

Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Lemon Courgette Cake

Preheat and Grate: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Peel the courgettes and discard the skin. If the courgettes are large and have seeds, remove and discard the seeds. Finely grate the courgette flesh.

A hand is peeling the courgettes using a peeler.

A hand is lifting a grater to show the finely grated courgettes.

Remove Excess Moisture: Place the grated courgette into a fine mesh bag or muslin and squeeze well to remove most of the liquid. Set the grated courgette aside.

Two hands are squeezing the mesh bag filled with grated courgettes to remove the excess liquid.

Combine the Wet Ingredients: Whisk the eggs and caster sugar in a bowl until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Gently whisk in the sunflower oil and lemon extract to the egg-sugar mixture until well combined.

A hand is using an electric whisk to whisk the eggs.

A hand is tipping sunflower oil into a cake batter.

Combine the Dry Ingredients : In a separate bowl, sift the plain flour and baking powder. Add the grated courgette to the flour and mix through with your fingers, ensuring the courgette is well coated in flour and spread evenly to prevent lumps. Mix in the lemon zest with the flour-courgette mixture.

A hand is mixing the grated courgettes into the dry ingredients.

A hand is tipping lemon zest into a bowl containing the dry ingredients for the courgette cake.

Make The Cake Batter: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing to form the cake batter. Avoid overmixing. Pour the batter into a lined round 23cm (9-inch) cake tin.

A hand is using a pink spatula to stir the cake batter.

The cake batter has been placed inside a round cake tin ready for baking.

Bake The Cake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes. Test for doneness by skewering it with a sharp knife or cocktail stick. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is baked. If there is still wet batter on the knife, give it a little longer. You can cover the cake with foil if the top is browning too much.

A hand is using a sharp knife to check the cake for doneness.

The First Glaze: Combine the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl for the first glaze. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven, leave it in the tin and prick it all over with a sharp knife. Pour the first glaze over the cake and allow it to soak in for about 5 minutes. Take the cake out of the tin and let it cool completely.

Two hands are combining the sugar and lemon juice to make the first glaze.

A hand is pouring a bowl of the first glaze onto the baked cake which is still inside the baking tin.

The Second Glaze: Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar to prepare the second glaze. Drizzle the second glaze over the cake and let it set before serving.

A hand is pouring lemon juice into the icing sugar to create the second glaze for the lemon courgette cake.

A hand is tipping the final glaze over the top of the lemon courgette cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my courgette cake batter lumpy?

This is usually due to the grated courgette not having been spread through the flour properly. Don’t leave clumps of courgette at the stage of mixing in through the flour and this should solve the problem.

Can I use a different size baking tin?

You can, just be sure to adjust your cooking times accordingly. A larger tin will make the cake batter more shallow and therefore, it will cook quicker.

Mastering This Recipe – Expert Tips

Remove Excess Liquid: It’s crucial to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the grated courgette to avoid a too-wet batter, which will result in a soggy cake. Really take the time to squeeze as much moisture out of the courgette as you can.
Break Up Clumps: When incorporating the grated courgettes into the flour mixture, take care to break up any clumps with your fingers. Evenly spreading the courgette throughout the flour will result in a more consistent texture and prevent pockets of wet courgette in your cake.
Allow Adequate Baking Time: The baking time may vary depending on your oven. Rather that just sticking to the baking time. it is best to test the cake is cooked through to the middle by inserting a sharp knife through the centre. If it comes out with wet batter, give it a little longer. The cake is fully baked when the knife comes out clean.
Timing for Second Glaze: To achieve the best results with the second glaze, ensure that the cake has completely cooled down. Applying the glaze too soon will cause it to melt and not set properly.
Using Different Courgette Sizes: You can use courgettes of any size, making it an excellent choice for using up overgrown courgettes. However, it’s important to remove the seeds and skin from larger courgettes before grating.