Mary Berry Courgette Cake Recipe

This moist spiced Mary Berry Courgette Cake is made with grated courgettes, warming cinnamon, and a tangy cream cheese frosting, ready in 1 hour and 5 minutes. The sweet, creamy icing perfectly complements the soft sponge, melting together in every single bite. I always look forward to baking this whenever my garden overflows with summer squash.

Why This Classic Works

I used to think adding green vegetables to a sweet sponge would make it heavy and dense. Instead, the grated courgette practically melts into the batter, keeping the crumb incredibly tender for days without adding any savoury taste.

The biggest lesson I learned was to squeeze the grated veg properly before mixing. If you skip this step, the excess water makes the bake soggy rather than beautifully springy.

Mary Berry Courgette Cake Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 3 large eggs
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 150g caster sugar
• 250g courgettes, coarsely grated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Frosting:

• 200g full-fat cream cheese
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 lemon, finely zested

How To Make Mary Berry Courgette Cake

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180C (160C fan). Line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. Prepare the courgette: Grate the courgettes coarsely, then gently squeeze out a small amount of the excess liquid using your hands or a clean tea towel.
3. Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sunflower oil, caster sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and slightly thickened.
4. Fold in dry ingredients: Sift the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, and ground cinnamon into the wet mix. Fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. Add the courgette: Fold the grated courgettes into the cake batter until evenly distributed.
6. Bake the sponge: Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, sifted icing sugar, and lemon zest together until smooth. Spread generously over the top of the completely cooled cake.

Recipe Tips

• Do not over-squeeze: You want to remove puddles of water from the courgette, but do not wring it completely dry. It needs some moisture to keep the sponge soft.
• Cool completely: Never frost a warm cake. The cream cheese icing will melt and slide right off the sides.
• Use full-fat cream cheese: Reduced-fat versions contain too much water and will result in a runny, unstable frosting.

What To Serve With Courgette Cake

Enjoy a thick slice with a hot cup of Earl Grey tea for a traditional afternoon treat. You can also serve it as a light dessert alongside a dollop of creme fraiche to cut through the sweetness of the frosting.

How To Store

Keep the frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, bringing it to room temperature before eating. Unfrosted sponges can be wrapped tightly in cling film and frozen for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Do I need to peel the courgettes? No, leave the skin on. It adds tiny, beautiful flecks of green throughout the sponge and contains valuable nutrients.

Why did my cream cheese frosting go runny? Overbeating cream cheese causes it to break down and become liquid. Mix it gently with the icing sugar just until combined.

Can I make this as a round cake? Yes, you can divide the batter between two 20cm round sandwich tins. Reduce the baking time to roughly 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 385 kcal
• Total Fat: 24g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 85mg
• Sodium: 210mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 38g
• Protein: 6g

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Currant Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Fruit Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Coconut Loaf Cake Recipe