T here 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

1 ½ 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…