Michelle Darmody: How to bake chocolate and courgette slices

Courgettes not only add bulk to baking, they also keep moisture in a cake

You can serve this cake without the icing for a lighter version. It is also best to save the icing for later if you would like to freeze the slices. Once defrosted to room temperature add the icing.

Sat, 08 Aug, 2026 - 01:00

Michelle Darmody is a baking expert and writer, as well as an award-winning author. Michelle works across food education, sustainability and food policy and has a Doctorate in Culinary Arts.

We have had a warmer-than-usual summer, which means there are courgettes ripening a little quicker than in other years. They are also nice and plump, ideal for use in cakes and bakes. Courgettes not only add bulk to baking, they also keep moisture in a cake.

I grate them quite finely, as I like them to blend into the cake batter, but if you like a little bite, you can roughly grate them with the largest holes on your box grater.