Morello Cherry and Lime Courgette Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Makes: Three tier 8-inch Round CakeServes: 12-15 peopleRecipe course: DessertsTotal time (min.): 80
Morello Cherry and Lime Courgette Cake.jpg Morello Cherry and Lime Courgette Cake.jpg

Tools

Ingredients

For the cake

400g Courgettes (*200g grated, strained)
300g Sunflower oil                             
450g Caster sugar                              
Zest of 3 Limes                                               
450g Plain flour                                  
1.5 tsp Baking powder                                   
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp Vanilla extract                           
Juice of ½ Lime                         
½ tsp Salt                                            
3 sprigs Lemon thyme, destalked
150g Glace Morello Cherries, halved

For the frosting

135g Unsalted butter, softened and cubed
290g Mascarpone or soft cream cheese, at room temperature
460g Icing sugar, sieved
Zest of ½ Lime
2 tbsp Lime juice
1 tsp Vanilla extract  
             
To Finish

20g Pistachios, roughly chopped                               
20g Glace Morello Cherries, roughly chopped          
Zest of ½ Lime
Mini meringues 

Methods

1 - Preheat the oven to 160°C
2 - Assemble the processor bowl, attach to the drive shaft.
3 - Fit the small drive shaft to the main shaft.
4 - Fit the express serve bowl onto the processor bowl, ensure the slinger plate is fitted.
5 - Fit the fine grating disc to the Express Serve attachment, fit the lid.
6 - Place a large mixing bowl beneath the Express Serve outlet, line the bowl with the muslin cloth.
7 - Select medium speed
8 - Add a courgette into the feed tube, use the pusher to feed the vegetable into the grating disc
9 - Grate all of the courgette
10 - Gather up the edges of the muslin cloth containing the grated courgette, tightly twist the cloth, squeezing the excess liquid into the large mixing bowl.
11 - Discard the liquid.
12 - Remove the Express Serve attachment.
13 - Fit the knife tool to the processor bowl.
14 - Weigh the caster sugar into the food processor bowl
15 - Tare the scales and weigh in the sunflower oil
16 - Add the lime zest and fit the lid
17 - Select medium speed and process for 1 minute to combine.
18 - Add the flour, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, lime juice, salt, lemon thyme
19 - Select medium speed and process for 1 minute to combine.
20 - Add cherries and grate courgette into the processor bowl.
21 - Use the pulse function in short bursts to combine.
22 - Divide the mixture between the tins.
23 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until light golden brown
24 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool.
25 - Clean the processor bowl and add the dual metal whisk.
26 - Add the unsalted butter into the processor bowl.
27 - Process on high speed for 30 seconds
28 - Add the mascarpone, icing sugar, lime zest, lime juice, vanilla into the processor bowl.
29 - Select high speed for 1 minute, or until combined.
30 - Assemble the cake with the mascarpone frosting.
31 - Decorate with mini meringues, chopped pistachios, chopped cherries and lime zest.