British strawberries are at their very best right now and these cakes are delightful way to finish off a summer lunch or dinner or even to have as a special celebratory treat at any time of day with something fizzy perhaps.
Makes 12
2 medium eggs
160g caster sugar
200g courgettes, topped, tailed and grated
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour
100g ground almonds
2tsp baking powder
A pinch of sea salt flakes
12 tsp. best quality strawberry jam
100g Longley Farm Yorkshire cream cheese or Court Lodge Organic Farm Labneh
12 fresh strawberries
A small amount of icing sugar – optional
You will also need 12 paper muffin cases and a 12-hole muffin tin.
Preheat the oven to 180c and put the paper cases in the muffin tin.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until they are pale.
Stir in the grated courgettes, vanilla extract, flour, almonds, baking powder and salt.
Use half the mixture to half- fill each of the cases and add a tsp of strawberry jam then cover the jam with the rest of the cake mixture.
Bake the cakes for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven until golden then put them on a wire rack to cool.
Spread each cake with a generous blob of cream cheese or labneh and put a strawberry on top.
Keep them in the fridge until you need them.
Best to eat them on the day you make them – dusted with icing sugar if you like.
See also: Summer Berries – Raspberry Vinegar
