Perfect for baking with children, this is a very, very surprising cake, in the best possible way! It is very easy to make; a rather unpromising-looking batter goes into the oven and a dark, moist, utterly delicious chocolate cake comes out.

And we should know! Small Steps were treated to our very own Chocolate Cake from Helen, a local mum of two boys who’s passionate about cooking, in all its forms. Helen works part-time, write for a magazine and has what is quite possibly the world's smallest kitchen... but loves a challenge! Helen bakes a lot of cakes, cookies and bread...and also loves coming up with everyday meal ideas for her family.

Helen’s fantastic range of recipes can be found on her Blog: http://bekitchenhappy.blogspot.co.uk

We were challenged to see if we could work out what the secret ingredient was.

So, what is secret…..

What you need:

• 175g Plain Flour
• 50g Cocoa
• 200g Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinking
• 2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda
• pinch of salt
• 100ml Sunflower or Vegetable Oil
• 100ml Natural Yoghurt
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

AND….

• 200g (ish) Courgette, topped and tailed

How to make 'Secret Ingredient' Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and fully line a loaf tin with greaseproof/baking paper.
2. Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
3. In a measuring jug measure the oil and the yoghurt then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix.
4. Grate the courgette, as finely as you can, into a bowl. Pour in the yoghurt mixture and stir to combine (warning - it does not look appetising at this point!).
5. Tip the courgette mixture into the dry ingredients and fold through with a large spoon or spatula until thoroughly mixed together.
6. Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared tin then sprinkle the top with 4-5 teaspoons of caster sugar.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until risen and craggy, check that it is cooked in the middle by inserting a skewer, it should come out clean.
8. Leave for 10-15 minutes to cool in the tin then transfer to a cooling rack or plate to cool completely.