Parsnip Cake

Pre-heat oven to: 150°C/300°F/Gas 2
Time in oven: 1.5 – 2 hrs
Makes: 10 slices

Ingredients

3 eggs
6 fl oz/175ml sunflower oil
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 fl oz/50ml soured cream
12 oz/350g muscovado sugar
9 oz/250g flour
1 tsp nutmeg
2 level tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
11 oz/300g parsnips, peeled & grated
3 oz/75g desiccated coconut

Topping:
6 oz/175g cream cheese
4 oz/110g icing sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 lime/lemon

Method

1. In one bowl place eggs, oil, vanilla essence and soured cream.
2. Add sugar and stir well.
3. Into another bowl sift flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, soda and salt.
4. Beat wet ingredients and sugars together and fold in dry ingredients, followed by parsnips and coconut. Mix well.
5. Pour into a lined 8″/20cm round cake tin and bake until centre of cake springs back when pressed gently in the middle. Cool on wire rack.
6. Cream together cheese and icing sugar, add lemon juice and spread thickly on top.

Note: Can be made with carrots instead of parsnips.

Daphne Colpman, London