This cake evolved over time from a muffin recipe. The cake will keep for 1-3 days in the fridge but take it out for around 15 minutes before you want to cut and eat it.

• Preheat oven 160°C/140°C fan and grease and line two 20cm round cake tins.
• Grate the courgette and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 
• In a large bowl mix the courgette, sugar, oil and eggs.
• In another bowl mix the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, poppy seeds and lemon zest.
• Fold the dry mixture into the courgette mixture and divide the batter equally between the two tins. 
• Smooth the surface of each batter with the back of a spoon.
• Bake for around 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 
• Cool in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• To make the cream cheese frosting: in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment whisk together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar a little at a time to avoid clouds going all over the kitchen!
• Add the vanilla bean paste, then speed up the mixer and whisk for a minute or two. 
• Take one cake and spoon half the frosting over the top and level with a spatula or knife. Place the other cake on top and then either spread as much of the rest of the icing as you want over, or put it into a piping bag and pipe it on. 
• Sprinkle a little lemon zest over the top and refrigerate the cake on a pretty plate or stand.

Find more of Stacey's recipes and tips at her new Youtube channel -  Stacey Dee's Kitchen