Banana, Chocolate, and Courgette Loaf

I love using veggies in cakes – and courgettes (AKA zucchini) are just BRILLIANT. When finely grated, they add lots of moisture without adding any weird flavours. People are sometimes a bit freaked out when I mention that a cake has courgette in it, but they generally agree it’s a worthwhile addition! It doesn’t have much butter in it, so the courgette flesh is a super healthy alternative. This cake is lovely and moist, and goes very well with a nice cup of tea!

• 3 medium very ripe bananas
• 1 medium courgette
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups plain flour
• 150g dark chocolate (preferably min 70% cocoa), roughly chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 140°c and grease the sides of a medium loaf tin with oil or butter, or just use a loaf tin liner.
2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl. You can use a potato masher or a fork, whichever is to hand. Peel the courgette a couple of times until you are left with just white flesh. Chop off the ends and grate finely. Add to banana.
3. Beat the egg lightly in a jug, then add to the banana and mix with a wooden spoon.
4. Add the sugar and butter and mix well.
5. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well, by hand.
6. Add the chopped up chocolate and stir.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and put in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake for approximately 60-90 minutes. It really depends on your oven and your loaf tin, so it’s best to check on it every 10 minutes after the first 50 mins. When a skewer or sharp knife comes out clean, the loaf is cooked.
8. When cooked, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes, remove from loaf tin and leave loaf to finish cooling on rack.
9. When cold, slice and serve! You can always warm it for 10-20 seconds in the microwave or toast it lightly in a panini maker (don’t risk a toaster) if you like it warm!

Enjoy!