There is a particular green that belongs to spring: pale and luminous, it’s softer than the dark foliage of winter, and quieter than the glossy abundance of summer herbs. Spinach, the colour of new growth, captures this moment perfectly. Tender and almost impossibly vivid, this cake loses its metallic edge in the heat of the oven, leaving a gentle, vegetal brightness. Baked in a shallow tin and spread with cream cheese icing, when sliced into squares, it produces the perfect ratio of cake to icing and tastes uncommonly good.

A cake for spring, AKA spinach cake

Prep 10 min
Cook 50 min
serves 8-10

For the cake
120g baby leaf spinach, stems removed
120ml milk
200g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
180g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
120ml solid coconut oil, melted and cooled to tepid
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing
200g cream cheese
100g icing sugar, sifted
Finely grated zest of 1 lime, plus 1 tsp juice
80ml double cream

Line the base and sides of a standard 23cm x 33cm x 5cm baking tin and heat the oven to 185C (165C fan)/360F/gas 4½. Put the spinach and milk in a high-speed blender and blitz to a puree. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar and lime zest on medium-high for three to four minutes, until pale and slightly thickened. Turn down the speed to low, add the spinach puree, coconut oil and vanilla, and mix until just combined. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.

Scrape the batter into the lined tin and bake for about 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove and leave the cake to cool in its tin for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, put the cream cheese, icing sugar and lime zest in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the lime juice and double cream, and keep beating until the icing thickens and forms soft waves.

Transfer the cake to a serving plate and spread the icing generously on top. Slice into squares to serve.