Recipe

The perfect way to use a summer courgette glut

There comes a point every summer when courgettes seem to have a mind of their own. You nip down to the plot to pick one for tea, only to discover another half a dozen hiding beneath those enormous leaves!

It’s a familiar sight for most allotmenteers and one of the joys of growing your own. The challenge, of course, is finding delicious new ways to use them.

These Bakery-Style Courgette & Lemon Muffins are one of our favourite recipes. They’re light, beautifully moist and bursting with fresh lemon flavour. The grated courgette practically disappears into the sponge, adding moisture rather than a vegetable flavour, while a crunchy demerara topping gives them that irresistible bakery finish.

Whether you’re enjoying one with a mug of tea after a morning on the plot, packing them for a picnic or sharing them, they’re guaranteed to disappear quickly.

Why courgettes work so well in baking

Courgettes have a naturally high water content, which helps create an incredibly soft, tender crumb. They don’t overpower the flavour and are the perfect partner for fresh lemon.

For the best results, pick young courgettes around 15 to 20cm long. They’re sweeter, have fewer seeds and produce the best texture.

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

300g plain flour
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp fine salt
250g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons

Wet ingredients

2 large eggs
150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
120g full-fat Greek yoghurt
120ml whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon

Plus

300g young courgettes, grated
2 tbsp demerara sugar for topping

Optional Lemon Drizzle

100g icing sugar
Juice of ½ lemon

Method

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 200°C fan and line a 12-hole muffin tin with large muffin cases.

Step 2

Grate the courgettes and gently squeeze out some of the excess moisture using a clean tea towel. Don’t overdo it, as a little moisture keeps the muffins beautifully soft.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, caster sugar and lemon zest.

Step 4

In another bowl whisk together the eggs, melted butter, yoghurt, milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice until smooth.

Step 5

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together. Before all the flour disappears, add the grated courgette and continue folding until just combined.

Don’t overmix. A slightly lumpy batter makes lighter muffins.

Step 6

Leave the batter to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. This simple step allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps create beautifully domed muffin tops.

Step 7

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cases, filling each around 90% full.

Sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar.

Step 8

Bake for 7 minutes at 200°C fan.

Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 170°C fan and continue baking for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Step 9 (Optional)

Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice until smooth and drizzle lightly over the warm muffins.

Baker’s Tips

🍋 Use unwaxed lemons if possible, as the zest carries most of the flavour.

🥒 Young courgettes always produce the sweetest muffins.

🧁 Resist the temptation to overmix the batter. Gentle folding keeps the crumb light.

🔥 Starting with a hotter oven gives the muffins their lovely bakery-style rise.

⏳ Resting the batter before baking is one of the easiest ways to achieve those impressive domed tops.

Storage

Store in an airtight tin for up to 4 days.

These muffins also freeze exceptionally well for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temperature and warm for a few seconds in the microwave if you’d like that fresh-from-the-oven taste.

A Taste of Summer from the Plot

One of the best things about growing your own food is discovering new ways to enjoy the harvest. Every courgette picked from the plot carries with it a little of the summer sunshine, and this recipe transforms even the biggest glut into something everyone will look forward to.

If you give these muffins a try, I’d love to hear how they turned out. Better still, bring a batch along to the allotment. There’s always someone willing to help with quality control…..

Happy growing and happy baking!