Ingredients:

• 250g sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 235ml vegetable oil
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2tsp bicarbonate soda
• 2tsp lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 60ml lemon juice
• 100g chopped walnuts or pecans
• 200g grated courgette
• 1 tbsp icing sugar to sieve over for decoration

Method:

1. Heat oven 180°C / gas 4. Line and grease a traybake tin 24 x 30 cm approx
2. Large bowl – mix sugar and eggs, then add oil, lemon juice and zest, mix. Add grated courgette.
3. in a separate bowl mix flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Mix into the courgette mixture and stir in the walnuts.
4. pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for about 35 – 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool
5. Sieve over the icing sugar once cold and cut cake into squares to serve
6. Variations: use ½ wholemeal flour, add 1tsp ginger

Ingredients:

• 175ml vegetable oil
• 180g plain flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp ground mixed spice
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 130g white sugar
• 80g brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 175g parsnips peeled, grated but discard tough core
• Optional – add 1 level tsp ground ginger
• Topping:
• 100g butter
• 30g caster sugar
• 200g low fat soft cheese
• 25g crème fraiche or natural yogurt or cream
• 50g stem ginger sliced for decoration

Method:

1. Heat oven 180°C / gas 4. Line and grease a traybake tin 18 x 25 cm approx
2. Small bowl – Mix flour, baking powder, spice, bicarbonate of soda
3. In a separate bowl mix sugars and eggs, and whisk until combined. Add the oil gradually, whisk between each addition then beat for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the grated parsnip then fold in the flour mixture, do not mix too much..
5. Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for about 35 – 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Rest in the tin before cooling on a wire rack.
6. Beat the butter and sugar for the icing in a large bowl until light. Drain any liquid from soft cheese and crème fraiche then stir in until just mixed.
7. Spread over the top of the cake and scatter over the sliced stem ginger
8. Cut cake into squares to serve

Ingredients:

• 3 cooked beetroot, weighing approx. 250grms
• 225g raisins
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 250g butter, softened
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 200g self-raising flour

Method:

1. Heat oven 160°C/140°C Fan, Gas Mark 4.  Line a 900g Loaf Tin
2. Coarsely grate the beetroot (wear gloves)
3. Then add the raisins and zest and juice of an orange and leave to stand for 30mins.
4. In a large bowl cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy and the texture is smooth.
5. Gradually beat in the eggs and then fold in the sifted flour and any juice, ensure mixed thoroughly.
6. Place the prepared mixture into the linedloaf tin.
7. Bake in oven for 1hr 30mins until well risen, evenly golden and springy.

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• 400g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 75g hot mashed potato
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 200g plain flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• 40g cocoa powder
• 75g cream cheese
• 50g plain chocolate melted
• 350g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Grated chocolate, chocolate vermicelli (optional)

Method:

1. Bake in moderate oven 180°C /140°C Fan, Gas 4.  Grease and line bottom of 2 20cm/8” sandwich tins.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and pale in colour.
3. Beat in the eggs ,one at a time, then add the potato and vanilla essence.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa and beat into the mixture.
5. Divide between the two sandwich tins and bake in a moderate oven for 35-40mins, until firm to the touch.
6. Cool in the tins for 5mins then turn out onto a wire tray.
7. Beat together the cream cheese and melted chocolate and gradually work in the icing sugar and milk.
8. Sandwich the cooled cakes together with some of the icing and swirl the remainder over the top and sides.
9. Roll the sides of the cake in chocolate vermicelli and decorate the top with grated chocolate and a dusting of icing sugar.