A few weeks ago I was sick, like really sick, but not sick enough that I couldn’t bake. I was sick enough to go to the doctor though but of course, I couldn’t go empty handed. I get quite anxious if I turn up at the surgery sans baked goods. It’s just the way I roll.
On this particular day, I took some Madeleines which went down a treat with the afternoon cuppas. I gave the surgery some cake, and they gave me a prescription. Win, win! But that’s not all, no siree! At the reception desk was a citrus bounty from my doctor’s garden. Apparently, the lemons had all left the building but there were still plenty of limes up for grabs. So grab them I did.
The doctor prescribed a pump which brought sweet relief but not as sweet as this delicious loaf. I have to fess up, this cake is not crazy sweet and it’s stand alone delicious even without the frosting, although I have to say, this frosting is finger licking good. I was going to use pistachios in this recipe but to be honest, they’re so pricey, and pepitas fit in so neatly with the green theme, plus nuts or seeds, seeds or nuts, it’s (almost) all the same. Amirite or amirite?
This loaf is my latest obsession. I rarely eat the cakes I make (I’m more of a sharer than an eater,) but I cannot stop eating this loaf. I actually had to stop making it for fear of turning green. My other latest obsession is quark, which is a mild, creamy dairy product that can be swapped for yoghurt, cottage cheese or in this case cream cheese. I keep buying it at Aldi to try and then forgetting about it, but this time, I used my loaf and put it to good use. If you can’t get quark, cream cheese will work instead. Quark is a tad “looser” than cream cheese, so will need a wee while to set in the fridge, but if you think the wet look is in, eat immediately for some instant gratification.
Have you got a food obsession? Have you ever tried quark?
Ingredients – Traditional
60g light olive oil
120g natural Greek yoghurt
3 large eggs
150g soft brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large lime (zest and juice)
1 zucchini, grated
100g roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
160g plain flour
160g self raising flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE ICING
200g quark
zest of 1 lime plus 2 teaspoons juice
80g unsalted butter
240g icing sugar
How to – Traditional
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Butter and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the oil, yoghurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, rind and juice together until well combined.
- Set a couple of tablespoons of pepitas aside. Add the rest of the pepitas and the zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir gently. Fold in the flours, bicarb and baking powder.
- Transfer the mixture to prepared tin.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, beat together the quark and butter, then add the lime zest and the juice. Finally, stir in the icing sugar until smooth. Refrigerate the frosting for about 30 minutes before decorating the cake.
- Decorate the cake when cool, sprinkle with the reserved pepitas and serve.
Ingredients – Thermomix
1 zucchini, roughly chopped
100g roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 large lime (zest and juice)
60g light olive oil
120g natural Greek yoghurt
3 large eggs
150g soft brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
160g plain flour
160g self raising flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE ICING
200g quark
zest of 1 lime plus 2 teaspoons juice
80g unsalted butter
240g icing sugar
How to – Thermomix
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Butter and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
- Add the zucchini to the TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5. Set aside.
- Add all the ingredients except the pepitas and zucchini mix for 30 seconds on speed 4, scraping down half way through.
- Set a couple of tablespoons of pepitas aside. Add the rest of the pepitas and the zucchini and combine for 10 seconds on reverse speed 5.
- Transfer the mixture to prepared tin.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, place all the ingredients in TM bowl and mix for 20 seconds on speed 5. Refrigerate the frosting for about 30 minutes before decorating the cake.
- Decorate the cake when cool, sprinkle with the reserved pepitas and serve.
TIP! The uniced loaf can be frozen for up to a month.
