Enjoy this ‘glut and nut’ cake, made with excess courgettes and apples, with a cup of tea
Prep:10 mins
Cuts into 10 slices
225g soft, unsalted butter, plus a little extra for the tin100g bag blanched hazelnuts, half very roughly chopped225g light muscovado sugar225g self-raising flour3 eggs1 tsp vanilla extract2 tsp mixed spice or ground cinnamon1 tsp baking powder175g courgettes, coarsely grated1 eating apple, grated (about 85g/3oz flesh)250g mixed dried fruit
STEP 1Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a deep, 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Put the whole hazelnuts, plus 1 tbsp each of the sugar and flour, into a food processor and whizz until the hazelnuts are as fine as you can get them.STEP 2Add the butter, remaining sugar and eggs to the processor, then tip in the vanilla, spice, ¼ tsp salt, remaining flour and baking powder. Whizz until smooth. Remove the blade, then stir in the grated courgettes, apple and dried fruit.STEP 3Spoon the mix into the tin, smooth the top, then scatter with the chopped hazelnuts, pressing them into the batter a little. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins (see tip, below), covering the top loosely with foil after 45 mins, until the cake is risen and golden. Cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
