LEMON AND EARL GREY LOAF CAKES

Makes 6 mini cakes

— 1 Earl Grey tea bag

— 120g golden caster sugar or demerara

— ½ yellow courgette, grated

— ¼ swede, peeled and grated

— finely grated zest of 2 lemons and 1 tbsp juice

— 2 eggs

— 40ml rapeseed oil

— 75g ground almonds

— 90g rice flour

— 1½ tsp baking powder

— ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

— coconut oil, for greasing

For the Earl Grey icing

— 120g golden icing sugar

— juice of ¼ lemon — 2 tbsp strongly brewed Earl Grey tea

— 1 tsp loose Earl Grey tea

— edible flowers (optional)

Empty the contents of the tea bag into a bowl with the sugar, cover and infuse for a few hours or overnight. Grind in a blender until fine.

Place the courgette between kitchen paper to drain off excess moisture. Place 80g swede and 80g courgette in a bowl and sprinkle over the lemon juice and zest. Set aside.

Whisk together the eggs, infused sugar and oil for 5 minutes or until pale and slightly thickened. Fold in the grated vegetables. Sift together the almonds, flour and raising agents. Fold into the cake mixture gently, until lump-free. Leave for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Grease and line six mini loaf tins, about 9x6cm .-fill the tins almost to the top and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted cocktail stick comes out clean.

Cool, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the lemon juice and enough tea to form an icing the thickness of double cream. Pour over the cakes; sprinkle with tea leaves and flowers, if using.