This Cake: Zucchini & Pistachio

Oh my God, this cake.
This cake is so good.
You have been warned.

This recipe is a UK recipe, so I converted the measurements to US.

I notice a lot of UK recipes use golden caster sugar. What is that?

"Golden caster sugar is a fine granulated sugar that is made from unrefined sugar cane or beets. It is popular in the UK for its color, which is a pale golden brown, and it has a slightly buttery flavor".
It is recommended for shortbread and butter cookies.

I decided to stick to the recipe, since the author, British cookbook author Diana Henry said "it was the most delicious cake ever".
So, I ordered a bag of Billington's Golden Caster Sugar from amazon. A bit pricey to buy, but free shipping! ;)

I know you are going to ask me what to substitute for the caster sugar.......I went online, and couldn't find any really good answer.
Read here.

Most websites recommend using superfine sugar (Dominos makes it). Don't be tempted to use light brown sugar, because there is molasses in it, and it is not the same thing.
Suggestions from you UK bakers are always welcome.

I also thought the recipe might be a misprint, since I have never seen a zucchini cake without buttermilk, oil, or butter.
Hmmmm. I emailed Diana Henry, but she didn't answer, so I took a chance and made the recipe as printed.

This cake is now my new favorite cake for summer. It was moist, fragrant from the ground nuts, and just all around fabulous.

I used 1 huge, big fat zucchini (because how much is a 10 1/2 oz. zucchini? I don't have a kitchen scale......I know, get one!).

It's funny how the English language is not the U.S. English language.......
courgette = zucchini (I thought that was Francaise!); bicarbonate of soda = baking soda; icing sugar = confectioner's sugar; blah blah. It's fun to decipher the words.

We loved this cake, and so did everyone who was lucky enough to try a slice.

Don't worry, I will make another one tomorrow!

Diana Henry's Courgette & Pistachio Cake w/ Lemon Icing: (adapted from Saga Magazine)

100g (3¾oz) pistachios (I used 1/2 cup pistachios)
300g (10½oz) courgettes (I used 1 huge zucchini)
3 medium eggs
200g (7oz) golden caster sugar (I used 1/2 cup Billington's golden caster sugar)
225g (8oz) plain white flour (1 cup flour)
finely grated zest of 2 lemons (I used zest of 1 large lemon)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

To decorate

3/4 cup of confectioners sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
roughly chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Put the half cup of pistachios into a coffee grinder and blitz them to a powder. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you can use a food processor; it just won’t grind them as finely.

Trim the zucchini ends and grate them finely into a large bowl.

Beat the eggs and sugar in and fold in the grated zucchini, ground pistachios, flour, lemon zest, baking powder and baking soda. Combine everything, be careful not to over-mix.

Put into a 20cm (8in) cake tin (I used an 8" springform pan) that you’ve buttered and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn the cake out onto a wire rack, carefully peel off the paper and turn the cake the right side up. Leave to cool completely.

To make the icing, simply mix the confectioners sugar with the lemon juice until it’s smooth. Put the icing mixture in the fridge for a short while to let it firm up, before spreading it over the cake with a small palette knife.

Leave to set a little, then sprinkle with the chopped pistachios on top.

You will not believe how moist this cake is....just from the zucchini and ground nuts.

Fabulous cake. Gone in 1 day. :)