My friend Lucy told me about this original recipe, from the Waitrose site.

I’ve adapted it, to include ground almonds, olive oil, and also tweaked with the icing. If you want to see the original recipe it’s here, otherwise here’s how I make it now.

Because I also like my treats to be contained, I make these in muffin cases and the recipe makes 16.

For those who have done the Zoe Trial, these score 59 per cake (“enjoy regularly” and I do!). They make very moist cakes that keep really well for about a week in the fridge and I think get even better as they age! These have become a real favourite int he house. Just make sure you eat them when they are really cool, or leave them for a day before eating.

200ml extra virgin olive oil

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons of yuzu juice

125g self raising flour (I have also used white spelt and then a teaspoon of baking powder)

125g ground almonds

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate

250g courgettes – grated and put in a sieve for a bit then squeezed to get moisture out (there won’t be a lot)

pinch of salt

Icing

One and a half tablespoons of icing sugar

250g cream cheese

1 tablespoon of yuzu juice

Method

Oven to 180C. Put muffin cases in a muffin tray (I have a 12 hole one and then a 6 hole one, or you could make these in stages).

Beat together the 200ml of extra virgin oil and the 200g of caster sugar for about two minutes with an electric mixer (whisk attachment). You want it to have thickened. Then add the four eggs, one at a time, the two tablespoons of yuzu juice, the 125g self raising flour (or spelt and baking powder), 125g ground almonds, 1 tsp of bicarb and a pinch of salt, then finally the courgettes.

Spoon carefully into the muffin cases and cook for about 25 minutes. It’s quite hard to see if they are cooked as these are a moist cake, but press down and there should be som resistance. If not cook for a few minutes more.

When completely cool, mix together the cream cheese and icing sugar (just with a fork or spoon it should take seconds) and yuzu juice and top each cup cake with icing.

Store in the fridge and enjoy one a day! I don’t have any pics yet as I am both greedy and lazy but will remedy this soon.