Hazelnut and Zucchini Fruitcake

I hadn't made a fruitcake for such a long time eventhough it's one of my favorite cakes. And when I saw this cake in bbcgoodfood magazine, I was really tempted to make one not only due to the reason above but also because it's not just a basic fruitcake! Apart from mixed dried fruit as a basic ingredient, the recipe also calls for the other two ingredients which are zucchini and apple that simply made me interested in this fruitcake and there was no chance for me not to give it a try !

Typically, I modified the recipe by using a different method to prepare the batter which I opted for a standing mixer to make the batter instead of a food processor because I found myself feel uncomfortable to use it from my first experience. Anyway, there's actually nothing complicated to make the cake in my way..jut like normal way to make a basic cake..cream butter with sugar, then add eggs ,vanilla and mix in the dried mixture and finish with veg. and fruit but you might need more time in the oven to get it done like I did..

How's the cake??.. I don't know..lol..I haven't had a chance to taste it yet!! What I did is to give some away to people around me and have kept some for my husband..What I believe is that it must be delicious or else it wouldn't have been published to people around the world!

Recipe (adapted from here)

225g soft, unsalted butter , plus a little extra for the tin

100g bag blanched hazelnuts , half very roughly chopped

150g light muscovado sugar

225g self-raising flour

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

175g courgettes , coarsely grated

1 eating apple , grated (about 85g/3oz flesh)

250g mixed dried fruits

Method :

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a deep, 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Put the whole hazelnuts, plus 1 tbsp each of the sugar and flour, into a food processor and whizz until the hazelnuts are as fine as you can get them. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the hazelnuts mixture, remaining flour, baking powder, salt and spices and set aside.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until incorporated then stir in the grated courgettes, apple and dried fruit.

3. Spoon the mix into the tin, smooth the top, then scatter with the chopped hazelnuts, pressing them into the batter a little. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins ( mine needed 15 more minutes ), covering the top loosely with foil after 45 mins, until the cake is risen and golden. Cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.