What about a courgette and raisin tea loaf? The tea loaf is rich & sweet, but also quite light as it doesn’t contain any butter or oil.

Makes 12 generous slices

Ingredients

  • A little butter or sunflower oil for greasing
  • 200g light muscavado sugar
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 200g finely grated raw courgette
  • Finely grated zest & juice of 1 lemon
  • 100g raisins
  • 100g ground almonds
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • A pinch of fine sea salt
  • A generous grating of nutmeg

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas mark 3. Lightly grease a loaf tin, about 20 x 10cm, & line with baking parchment.
  2. Using an electric whisk, beat the sugar & eggs yolks together for 2 – 3 minutes until pale & creamy. Lightly stir in the grated courgette, lemon zest & juice, raisins & ground almonds. Sift the flour, salt & nutmeg together over the mixture & then fold them in, using a large metal spoon.
  3. In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir in a heaped tablespoonful of the egg white into the cake mixture to loosen it a little, then fold in the rest as lightly as you can.
  4. Tip the mixture into the prepared loaf tin & gently level the surface. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  5. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This recipe can also be varied by using pumpkin or squash flesh, carrots or even beetroot instead of courgettes. The beetroot produces a striking purple-marbled effect.