Spiced Courgette Fairy Cakes

Spiced Courgette Fairy Cakes

Courgettes are a great addition to cakes to help reduce the added sugar content, as they are naturally sweet and neutral in taste.  So, if you have an abundance of courgettes, try using a couple in this easy, tasty recipe – only a few green flecks give away the fact that they are there. The children will not even notice.

Serves: makes 12 fairy cakes.

Dietary: vegetarian, nut-free

Contains: eggs, milk (blended butter spread, milk), and gluten (flour)

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 – 25 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS
2 medium courgettes, grated, squeezed and drained
½ cup (100 g) blended butter spread
½ cup (90 g) caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1¼ cups (150 g) self-raising flour
3/8 cups (50 g) wholemeal self-raising
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp mixed spice
80 ml of full-fat milk

 

METHOD

  1. Prepare mince pie tins by lining them with fairy cake cases. Pre-heat oven to 350oF/180ºC Fan /200°C/Gas Mark 4.
  2. Grate the courgette and squeeze as much moisture from it as possible by placing it in the kitchen towel, covering a clean tea towel, and rolling it up to squeeze excess moisture.
  3. Cream together the blended butter spread and sugar.
  4. Beat in eggs gradually.
  5. Sift in dry ingredients and fold in lightly.
  6. Gently stir in courgettes and milk.
  7. Pour into paper cases.
  8. Bake for 20 – 25 mins.

 

This recipe has been donated by Catherine McNeill Associate Registered Nutritionist

 

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Per serving: Per cupcake (55g)
Total calories: 183 kcal
Fat:  9.8 g
of which saturates:  4.0 g
Carbohydrate: 20.0 g
of which sugars: 8.0 g
Fibre:  1.2 g
Protein:  3.4 g
Salt:  0.21 g

 

NUTRITION FACTS

  • Adding small changes to the diet can be beneficial, such as adding courgettes and wholegrain flour to baked items. These may seem like small changes but making small yet consistent changes adds up.
  • This recipe is high in vitamin D. Vitamin D contributes to many functions, including the maintenance of normal muscle function, normal bones, and normal teeth, and helps the normal function of the immune system.
  • It is also high in phosphorus which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth.

 

VARIATIONS

  • Swap dairy milk for plant-based milk to make this dairy milk-free.
  • Try reducing the sugar in the recipe a little more – can you notice the difference?
  • For a special occasion, serve with some berries or tinned mandarins on the side.

 

Consumer Tested by Aoife Kelly, Public Health Nutrition Student

Checked by Kathy Lewis, R.Nutr., Registered Nutritionist

 

©  2022 The Caroline Walker Trust