Zucchini, Date & Hazelnut Loaf with Lemon Crème Fraîche

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, whisk the coconut sugar and coconut oil until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.
4. In a third bowl, mash the pitted dates with a wooden spoon into a paste. Add the date paste to the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
5. Stir in the grated zucchini and vanilla paste until evenly distributed.
6. Gently fold in the flour mixture and the chopped hazelnuts until just combined—do not overmix.
7. Grease a large loaf pan (30 cm / 12 inches) and pour in the batter. Bake for 60–70 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let the loaf cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
9. While the loaf cools, whip the crème fraîche with about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until it reaches a whipped-cream consistency.
10. Once cool, turn the loaf out onto a board and cut thick slices. Serve each slice with a dollop of the lemon crème fraîche, a sprinkle of lemon zest, and some crushed hazelnuts.