It’s finally starting to feel like spring has sprung here and with that we’re trying to spend more time outside and more time with family and friends – especially now we have a garden to enjoy! This Courgette, Lime and Pistachio Loaf Cake is the perfect dessert for a spring lunch with friends, it’s light, sweet and tangy and looks amazing!
I’ve always liked courgette cake not only for the pretty green flecks it adds to the crumb, but also for the lightness it adds to the sponge. Combined with sweet chopped pistachios and zingy lime this cake really is the perfect mix of flavours for spring and summer.
Whilst this is most definitely a traditional cake, I have made it on the healthier side with a couple of ingredient swaps. It honestly tastes great either way, so see what suits you from the ingredients list below.
Most importantly though, this cake does come with an extra boost of filling protein and light creaminess from Quark cream cheese from Graham’s The Family Dairy. Quark is naturally fat free and packed with protein. It works brilliantly in this cake to add a special flavour and texture to the sponge and in the glaze on top – kind of a cross between cream cheese and yoghurt. The protein from the Quark nicely balances out the sugar in this recipe (should you choose to use it) and adds a lightness to the cake overall.
- 4 eggs
- 250g caster sugar (or xylitol / coconut sugar)
- 100 ml light olive oil
- 6 tablespoons of Graham's The Family Dairy Plain Quark
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 small courgettes (about 250 g)
- 1 lime
- 300 g of wholemeal self raising flour (can sub with gluten free blend or regular white flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Large handful of pistachios (about 100 g)
- 125 g of Graham's The Family Dairy Plain Quark
- 125 g of icing sugar (can sub for Navita icing sugar blend)
- 1 lime
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan. Prepare a suitable loaf tin (900 ml if possible - see note below)
- Grate the courgettes and set aside.
- Combine the eggs, sugar, oil, Quark and vanilla together in a large bowl.
- Stir in the grated courgette. Zest the lime and add the zest and juice.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, stirring to combine.
- Roughly chop the pistachios and add to the mixture, combine well.
- Pour the mix into the loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Leave to cool before adding the glaze.
- To make the glaze combine the Quark and icing sugar along with the zest of the lime. Pour over the cake topping with a little more zest. Enjoy!
- If your loaf pan is smaller than recommended you can make muffins with the remaining mixture.
- Start checking the loaf at 30 minutes, if it's already golden but not cooked, cover the top with foil to prevent over-browning.
What’s your favourite spring / summer dessert? Do you have a favourite loaf style cake?
*post in collaboration with Graham’s the Family Dairy Quark
I love a loaf cake as they are so easy to make – this one sounds amazing, I love anything pistachio! x
Oooh quark is a nice add in there for the protein content! Like the flavour combo too :-)
The flavours sound lovely- I do like lime and pistachio. I have a nice raspberry and white chocolate loaf cake (it has raspberries and ground almonds in the batter, and topped with a drizzle of white chocolate)- that is nice and spring-like.