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Zucchini Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
An incredibly moist, delicious zucchini cake with a lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting. Adapted from Nigella Lawson's courgette cake recipe.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8
Calories: 423 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American , British
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 1/4 lb green or yellow zucchini (courgettes) (3 to 4 medium zucchinis)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla essence or paste
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup plus one tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose or cake flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- zest from one lemon or lime
For the filling
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
For the frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice from one lemon or lime (use zest for cake)
- 2-3 tbsp lightly chopped pistachio nuts
Instructions
To bake the cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Grate zucchini (don’t peel them) using a food processor fitted with the grating blade or the coarse side of a box grater. Don’t go too fine or they can turn into a wet mush. When you’ve grated them, put them in a sieve over the sink to drain. If they seem very wet, you can squeeze the liquid out with a tea towel.
- Put the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl and beat them until creamy. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and continue to beat until well combined. Now stir in the grated zucchini.
- Pour the mixture into the pans, and bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and firm to the touch. Leave in their pans on a rack for 5 – 10 minutes, then turn out and let cool on the rack until your filling and icing are ready.
Cup of Yum
To make the frosting
- While the cake is cooling, beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, add the confectioners’ sugar, beating well to combine, and then stir in the lemon juice to taste. Keep at room temperature.
Assemble cake
- Put one cake on the plate and spread with completely cooled lemon curd. Put on the top cake and smear it thickly with the cream-cheese icing. The icing will firm up if it's chilled. Scatter chopped pistachios over the top of the zucchini cake just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Notes
- Use this recipe for Seriously Lemony Lemon Curd or use a good jarred one.
Nutrition Information
Calories
423kcal
(21%)
Carbohydrates
50g
(17%)
Protein
7g
(14%)
Fat
26g
(40%)
Saturated Fat
18g
(90%)
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
72mg
(24%)
Sodium
250mg
(10%)
Potassium
265mg
(8%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
24g
(48%)
Vitamin A
582IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
13mg
(14%)
Calcium
64mg
(6%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 423
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 423kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 50g | 17% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 26g | 40% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 72mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 250mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 265mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 24g | 48% |
| Vitamin A | 582IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.