Lime and Courgette Loaf Cake with Strawberry Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 large courgette (around 200g/7oz)
• 175g (6oz) unsalted butter
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 210g (7½oz) plain flour, sifted
• 1tsp baking powder
• ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pinch salt
• 75g (3oz) ground almonds
• zest and juice 2 limes
• 350g (12oz) strawberries, roughly chopped
• 50ml (2fl oz) Pimm's
• icing sugar, to dust

you will need

• 900g (2lb) loaf tin, greased and the base lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, 350F, gas 4. Roughly grate the courgette then with your hands squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can; set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until pale then gradually beat in the eggs.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and ground almonds. Fold into the butter mixture with the courgettes, and lime zest and juice until just combined. Place in the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a bowl with the Pimm's and set aside to marinate.

3. Once removed from the oven, leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. To serve, pile the strawberries on top of the cake (and dust with icing sugar) or serve on the side.