Zucchini + Sultana Loaf

 

Zucchini in a cake? Yes.

I can feel all of you frowning. And the pity you have for my poor young son who has one of ‘those’ mothers. You know, the kind who hides vegetables in their food. Even in the goddamn cakes! That poor poor boy!

To my defence, carrots are socially accepted in the cake world. And if it is okay for carrots, why should we shun the old zucchini? Especially considering zucchini has pretty much no flavour. It is virtually undetectable in this cake.

And now I hear you all ask yourselves “so what’s the friggin point of putting a goddamn zucchini in a cake, if it’s not there for the flavour?”

Well, surprisingly it’s not there as a means to sneak vegetables into my kid’s diet (though I must admit it is a definite bonus).

The zucchini lends moisture, much the same way any grated fruit would. Zucchini is perfect at taking on the flavour of anything it is cooked with, rather than being the star of the show. Alas, this little cake, if you could imagine, tastes like a lovely moist cinnamon loaf, dotted with sultanas throughout. Subtly sweet, it’s the perfect kind of morning tea fare I like to snack/gorge myself on.

It keeps well for quite a few days, you can pop it in the toaster if you like and serve it with a hunk of butter. It is a great snack for work and is excellent in school lunch boxes. If you think the green flecks might deter your children, you can peel the zucchini before you grate it. But then you would literally be sneaking vegetables into food. Like Jerry Seinfeld’s wife. Which would mean you are one of ‘those’ mums. Like me, only sometimes.

 

Zucchini + Sultana Bread

makes 2 loaves

– 1  and 1/2 cups raw caster sugar
– 3 eggs
– 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
– 1/2 cup plain yoghurt (full cream)
– 2 cups grated zucchini
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 2 cups self raising flour
– 1 cup wholemeal self raising flour
– 2 Tbsp cinnamon
– 1 cup sultanas

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C and prepare 2 loaf tins with baking paper.

Grate your zucchini and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, yoghurt and caster sugar. Add the vanilla extract and grated zucchini and stir until combined.

Sift in the two flours and cinnamon and fold in gently. Stir though the sultanas.

Divide the mixture into the two prepared loaf pans.

Bake for an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to rest for a few minutes before removing from the tins and cooling them on a wire rack.