Zucchini cake

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 5 eggs
• 250 g sugar, optionally brown
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 250 ml oil
• 400 g zucchini, grated with skin
• 200 g hazelnuts, ground
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 300 g flour
• 1 tsp baking soda, 5 g
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Cranberry jam or currant or raspberry jam
• 150 ml cream
• 1 sheet of gelatin
• 150 g chocolate coating, finely chopped
• 1 tsp honey

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

Beat the eggs with sugar and vanilla sugar until very foamy. Slowly add the oil while stirring. Gradually fold the zucchini, hazelnuts and cinnamon into the foam using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa and stir into the remaining mixture. Pour the fairly runny batter onto a baking tray lined with baking paper (I always use a pull-out tray) and bake at approx. 160°C top/bottom heat for about 45 minutes (use a skewer to test if it is fresh). Let the cake cool and then spread with your chosen jam. For the glaze, soak the gelatine in cold water. Bring the heavy cream to the boil, remove from the heat and add a teaspoon of honey. Dissolve the chocolate coating in it. Squeeze out the gelatine and stir it into the warm glaze. Blend briefly and WITHOUT any air using an immersion blender to homogenize. The hand blender must remain submerged during mixing to prevent bubbles from forming in the glaze. Let it cool until it thickens and leaves streaks when stirred. Then, immediately pour the glaze over the cake, starting at the top, and gently swirl it around. The glaze will be as smooth as glass and requires no palette or brush for this application. It’s very tasty and dries completely within 2-3 hours. Tips: Grate only young, soft-skinned zucchini with the skin on. If you don’t want to make the glaze yourself, use ready-made chocolate glaze. If you use dark chocolate instead of chocolate coating for the glaze, add a knob of butter.