Let me just start off by saying that I like this cake.  I like it a lot.  I think that even though I kinda screwed it up that it's a really good cake and I would make it if I were you.
Backing up a bit...


Saw this cake online and in Mag and knew that I had to make it very soon, if not immediately.  The picture looked like this light cake with this lovely cream cheesey icing.  Absolute yum.
After the week that I had at work I could bake for hours.  It's a stress reliever for me you see.  My Sunday has consisted of (no kids b/c they were at their Granny's!) a 16k run as part of my prep for the half marathon in October, a little walk to the store to pick up a zucchini, baking a cake and a lasagna, talking to my sister on skype for a ridiculous amount of time.  See all of the above are serious stress relievers for me.  I almost feel ready for the work week tomorrow... almost.  I need some time out with my friend KT - that will push it over the top I think.


While making the cake though I didn't pay much attention to the recipe (actually BBC Good Food website - if you are listening - the format of the recipes is kinda confusing for me.  Could be me of course but I'm just sayin').  I didn't notice for example that the butter was partly for the icing and put all 250g in the cake (I've changed the recipe below, don't worry).  I didn't think to drain the zucchini before putting it in the cake.


Now let me add that this is something that I've gotten into the habit of doing.  I'm still shocked that I've made such a rookie mistake.  But there it is.  We all screw it up sometimes right?  Don't be so hard on yourself Wanda.  I didn't realize all of this until the cake was baked already.  I was about to throw the whole lot out - done, in the green bin (compost), not to see the light of day.


Then I thought about that cream cheese icing and thought about having to make the whole thing again tomorrow and I felt like I needed to at least try it.
So ok.  My cake turned out a lot wetter than yours will.  It probably didn't rise as high as it should have and because it's wetter it probably won't last for as long as it should.  BUT it actually tastes good.  The taste is great really.  The kids won't be bothered by the mistake at all, they'll eat anything with cream cheese icing on it.  I think at the end of the day, despite the dumb mistakes that this little gem of a cake will still get it's day in the limelight here at our house.



Frosted Courgette and Lemon Cake (BBC Good Food)

200 g (round 3/4 cup) of unsalted, room temperature butter
2 unwaxed lemons
200 g (about 1 3/4 cup) sugar
3 eggs
2 med zucchini, grated coarsely and some of the water squeezed out
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp vanilla
100 g self raising flour
100 g whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

icing:

1 250 g container of Cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar
2 - 3 tbsp lemon juice (from the lemons above)
1 knob of butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour 2 20cm round cake tins.
Measure out the dry ingredients, combine them in a bowl and set aside.
Zest two of the lemons.  In a large bowl combine the 200g of butter, lemon zest, sugar, eggs and mix until combined and fluffy.  Add in the drained zucchini, poppy seeds and vanilla.  Add in 1 - 2 tbsp of lemon juice (from 1 of the lemons).  Combine well.   Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Divide equally between the two cake tins and bake for about 25 min. or until a tester comes out clean (might take a little longer because of the zucchini).
Cool for 10 min. before removing from the cake tins.   Cool completely before icing.
Icing:
Soften the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl.  Add in the icing sugar and mix together until well incorporated.  Add in the lemon juice and mix well.  If it gets too runny just add a little more icing sugar.
Divide between the first and second layers of the cake.