Incredibly moist courgette cake enhanced with a zingy lime icing! If you are too looking for new ways to use up the neverending harvest of courgettes this year, we have you covered! With this courgette and lime cake, you can now have this wonderful vegetable for all three courses: starter, main and dessert! And there’s no need to squeeze courgettes out in this recipe…
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Does This Cake Taste of Courgette?
Yes and no. Strangely enough, this cake tastes a little bit like gin & tonic. Do you think I am ludicrous? Hear me out! Courgette comes from the same family as cucumber, and mixed with sugar and lime in the cake mix, it somehow starts tasting like a G&T, garnished with a slice of cucumber.

I know many people may not want to taste the vegetables in their sweet treat, but we LOVE courgette. And we honestly think that being able to taste the courgette (even though it tastes like cucumber to us) only makes this cake better!
Ingredients and Substitutes
To make this delicious dairy-free cake with courgette and lime, you will need just a few everyday ingredients:
- eggs: use medium in the UK, and large in the US.
- vegetable oil: can be replaced with rapeseed or sunflower oil. We don’t recommend using olive oil in this cake – it seems to overpower.
- light brown sugar: you could use caster sugar instead if you wish.
- courgette: green young courgettes (zucchini), topped and tailed, grated.
- vanilla bean paste: we love Nielsen Massey vanilla bean paste.
- plain flour: also known as all-purpose flour.
- bicarbonate of soda: or baking soda in the US.
- baking powder
- limes: choose juicy fresh unwaxed limes.
- icing sugar

Method
Make Courgette and Lime Cake
Preheat oven to 160°C Fan. Lightly grease a 2lb loaf tin and line it with baking parchment.
Beat the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl for a minute, using an electric handheld mixer (we use and love Kenwood). Add the grated courgette (no need to squeeze the moisture out) and lime zest. Gently mix it in to distribute.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt.
Stir the dry ingredients into the egg and courgette mixture, taking care not to overmix.



Scoop the cake batter into a prepared loaf tin. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hr. To check if it’s cooked, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked!
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then lift it out by the overhanging baking parchment onto a cooling rack.
Make the Icing
Once the lime and courgette cake is cooled to room temperature, make the icing. Place icing sugar into a bowl and add a tablespoon of lime juice. Mix well and add more juice until you arrive at thick but drizzleable consistency.
Pur the icing over the loaf cake and scatter the zest of one lime all across the top. Let the icing set before slicing and serving!

Recipe FAQs
Yes, however, we intentionally reduced the sugar in the cake mix itself in order to add sweetness in the form of the icing. If you choose to skip the icing, I’d recommend increasing the sugar in the cake batter by 40-50g.
The problem is most likely the measurement of the ingredients. Courgettes add a lot of moisture to this cake, so it is important to weigh out the correct amount. This 2lbs loaf cake requires 350g of grated courgette.
Other Courgette Season Recipes
Don’t you love courgette season? We certainly do. For almost a month we eat courgettes for starter, main and dessert. Some of our favourite courgette recipes include:
- Vegetable Lasagne with Courgette & Aubergine
- Courgette & Whipped Feta Tart on Puff Pastry Base
- Courgette and Potato Soup with Cheese Crisps
Recipe Card

Courgette and Lime Cake
Ingredients
- 2 eggs medium
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 90 g light brown sugar
- 350 g courgette coarsely grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 290 g plain flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 lime zest only
For Lime Icing:
- 90 g icing sugar
- 1 lime juice and zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C Fan. Lightly grease a 2lbs loaf tin and line it with baking parchment.
- Beat the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl for a minute, using a handheld mixer. Add the grated courgette and lime zest. Gently mix it in to distribute.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the egg and courgette mixture, taking care not to overmix.
- Pour the cake batter into a prepared loaf tin. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for about an 1 hr. To check if it's cooked, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's cooked!
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then lift it out by the overhanging baking parchment onto a cooling rack.
- Once the lime and courgette cake is cooled to room temperature, make the icing. Place icing sugar into a bowl and add a tablespoon of lime juice. Mix well and add more juice until you arrive at thick but drizzleable consistency.
- Pur the icing over the loaf cake and scatter the zest of one lime all across the top. Let the icing set before slicing and serving!
Nutrition

Dana
This is so incredible! Love the lime. It really makes the cake unique!
Ieva
Thanks! 🥰
Kelley
This was so moist and tender! Thank you for sharing!
Ieva
You are most welcome! Glad you liked it! 🙂
Aimee Mars
You had me at a cake that tastes like gin and tonic! It sounds like the perfect refreshing, if that’s possible, summer treat or snack. I have to try it!
Ieva
Oh, please do try it! I am sure you’ll love the taste!
Suja MD
Delicious yet simple recipe that the whole family loved. Can’t wait to make it again!
Ieva
Thanks for the lovely feedback! Glad you all enjoyed it!
Toni
This is such a delicious dessert!! I really couldn’t wait to make it again!
Ieva
Thanks, Toni!
dina and bruce miller
This combo is genius!
Shashi
This is the kind of cake that makes portion control hard. Its absolutely delicious and moist!
Ieva
Oh, I know exactly how you feel! I struggle with portion control when it comes to any kind of cake 😀
Kate
I love using courgette in cakes to make it moist and just a little healthier!
Mimi
This cake looks absolutely stunning! Love the icing recipe!