Courgette and Pistachio Loaf Cake

Grated courgette adds wonderful moisture to this nutty sponge.

Hands-on time 30min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 1½hr. Serves 10

FOR THE CAKE

200ml vegetable oil, plus extra to grease

100g pistachio kernels, plus extra to decorate

200g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

75g natural yogurt

1tsp vanilla bean paste 200g self-raising flour

1 large courgette, about 200g, coarsely grated

Finely grated zest 1 lemon

FOR THE ICING

50g unsalted butter, softened 40g icing sugar, sifted 180g tub full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature Finely grated zest 1 lemon

1 Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan) mark 2. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground (or chop by hand). Set aside.

2 In a large bowl, whisk oil, sugar, eggs, yogurt and vanilla, until combined. Next, whisk in flour, courgette, lemon zest and ground pistachios. Scrape into prepared tin. Bake for 1½hr without opening the oven door, then check whether a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (if not, return to oven for 5min). Cool completely in tin.

3 Once cake is cool, make the icing. Using a handheld electric whisk, beat butter and icing sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in cream cheese and lemon zest, until combined. Spread on top of cooled cake and decorate with chopped pistachios. Serve in slices. PER SERVING 473cals, 8g protein, 30g fat (8g saturates), 41g carbs (26g total sugars), 2g fibre TO STORE Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.