Courgette Bread

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Butter a 900 g loaf tin and line it with a paper strip.

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2. Pile the grated courgette into a clean tea towel and wring it hard over the sink. You want to lose about 120 ml of liquid — roughly half a cup — and be left with a damp, compact mass.

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3. Whisk the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.

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4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with both sugars for a minute, then whisk in the oil and vanilla until emulsified and slightly thickened.

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5. Stir in the squeezed courgette, breaking up any clumps with a fork.

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6. Fold in the dry ingredients and the walnuts until just combined — no more.

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7. Scrape into the tin, scatter with demerara, and bake 55 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out with a crumb or two.

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8. Cool in the tin 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely. It slices properly once cold and crumbles while warm.

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Chef’s Tips

• Grate on the coarse side of a box grater, not in a processor. Processed courgette turns to purée and the strands are what hold the crumb open.
• No need to peel or seed a medium courgette. A marrow-sized one, yes to both.
• Cover with foil at 40 minutes if the top is already dark — this loaf browns before it is done.

Pairing Suggestions

• Salted butter, thickly
• Cream cheese
• Black coffee

Storage & Reheating

Wrapped at room temperature for 4 days and better on day two. Freezes whole or sliced for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.