Cucumber & Lemon Cake with Gin Icing

I'm indebted to new Tom's Food! subscriber Lynn Funnell for this recipe. We were exchanging messages about the problems when veg growers have a glut of stuff, in her case cucumbers. This is an intriguing sounding cake which is based on a recipe from a website veggie desserts.com.

There's an excellent step by step guide on that website, though the sharp eyed among you will note that the icing has been changed. I've made a further change. In the original recipe, the recommendation was to leave the cucumber unpeeled. Cucumber skin and my digestive system do not get on well together, so I recommend peeling it, even though you're going to blitz it. *Lynn leaves the skin on hers. My way will sacrifice a little colour. You will need 2 x 20cm cake tins. Finally, don't be tempted to use vanilla essence - it's a cheap and nasty substitute.

Thanks, Lynn.

Ingredients)

200 g cucumber, peeled and seeded* (see the comments above re peeling); juice and zest of half a lemon; 150g butter, softened (plus extra for greasing the cake tins); 150g granulated sugar; 1½ tsp vanilla extract; 2 eggs beaten; 200g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder.

For the gin icing (if you don't want to use gin, substitute lemon juice or elderflower cordial)

75g unsalted butter, softened; 200g icing sugar; 15 ml gin (or alternative)

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Lightly grease and line 2 x 20cm cake tins.

Peel and deseed the cucumber. To do this cut it in half lengthways and scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon. Cut into chunks and puree until very smooth. Stir in the lemon juice.

In the usual way, cream the butter, lemon zest, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a bit at a time, beating in well.

Add the baking powder to the flour and mix well. Into the wet ingredients, stir in a third of the flour mixture, then gently mix in a third of the cucumber and continue until it is all combined. Make sure the final mixture is very smooth.

Preheat the oven to 170˚C/Gas Mark 3

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean - you know the drill by now. Allow to cool for five to ten minutes in the tin and turn out on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the desired flavouring. Taste, as you may wish a stronger flavour. If not using at once refrigerate, but it will need to be at room temperature to spread easily.

You will note that in the picture AI assistant Zeph has garnished with cucumber slices. I wouldn't.