Pushing up the daisies

The French are highly put off by the idea of putting vegetables in sweet things. Carrot cake is met often with disdain. I find that you just have to make them eat it before you tell them what it is. This is no exception, and it disappeared of the plate because it makes a thick, moist very chocolatey cake.
Cooks in a long loaf tin.
Ingredients:

• 180g cooking chocolate, melted over boiling water
• 2oog flour (either self raising or add 1 teas baking powder)
• pinch bicarbonate
• pinch salt
• 100g sugar
• 3 eggs
• a splash of milk if it looks too thick
• 2 tabs vegetable oil
• 200g raw courgette, weigh it once you peel it and take out the seedy section. Good for using a large courgette that got away from you.

1. Grate the courgette, then enlist the aid of a small child - put the veg in a clean tea towel and over the sink, wring up the tea towel until all the juice has come out of the courgette.
2. Next, in a bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. Add the eggs and mix to a thick paste.
4. Next, add the melted chocolate and oil, mix well.
5. Add the grated courgette and mix. If it seems a little stodgy, add some milk - it should be slightly thicker than a normal cake batter but not too stiff. It should slide off the spoon, not stick in a big lump.
6. Line tin with baking paper, bake in a preheated oven 180 deg C for about 45 mins. Test with a skewer, it is a moist cake but should be practically dry on the skewer.

Leave to cool, keeps a few days in an airtight container.

Labels: chocolate, courgette, recipe