Courgette Tea Bread

A moist, flavoursome tea bread that’s perfect for afternoon tea. And because it’s made with vegetables, you don’t have to feel guilty about having a second slice..! 

courgette tea bread

Gluten-Free Courgette Tea Bread

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 x large egg
  • 125ml sunflower oil
  • 175g courgettes, washed and trimmed
  • 150g gluten-free flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 175g soft, dark brown sugar
  • 75g sultanas
  • 75g chopped walnuts
  • 35g chopped soft dried apricots
  • 35g chopped soft dates
  • ½ large orange zested
  • Juice of ½ large orange

For the icing:

  • 100g full fat cream cheese
  • 25g butter
  • 50g icing sugar
  • ½ large orange, zested

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease and baseline a 2lb loaf tin with non stick silicone paper.
  2. In a jug beat together the egg and sunflower oil until fully combined. Grate the courgettes into a large bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Stir in the sugar, sultanas, orange zest, dates, apricots and walnuts. Pour in the oil and egg mixture along with the juice of ½ the orange combined to make the batter for your cake. Pour into the prepared tin and put into the preheated oven to bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins and then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. To make the orange cream cheese icing, beat together the icing sugar and butter until light and fluffy and then add the cream cheese and orange zest until you have a nice smooth frosting.
  4. Using a palette knife carefully spread the icing on the top of the cake and decorate with fresh orange zest.

TIP

  • This cake can be stored un-iced in a sealed tin for up to a week.
  • To freeze; bake and cool then wrap the cake tightly in foil. It will keep for up to 2 months.
  • For added sparkle we decorated our bread with orange chocolate shavings and glitter.