So, the allotment is looking a little bare now and weeds are growing where the tall climbing beans poles once stood rather majestically throughout the summer. My eyes instead are drawn downwards to where a few beetroot linger and the parsnips ...WOW! When did they get be that size? They've been real underground operators. So it's time to roast them, use them in vegetable mashes and soups and of course my Spicy 3 P cake, named after the parsnips, prunes and pecans in the recipe. Adapted from a Carrot Cake recipe, I've developed it further and it is also great for vegans.
Ingredients
300g parsnips, grated
1 lemon, zested and juiced
50g dried prunes, chopped
50g pecans chopped
250g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
250g caster sugar
100g honey mixed in 100ml warm water
125ml olive oil
3 eggs
To decorate - mix the following ingredients together
250g mascarpone
200g creme fraiche
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp caster sugar
Preheat the oven to Fan 170 or GM 4
Grease and base line 2 x 8 inch round baking tins
Grate the parsnips into a bowl, then add the lemon juice and zest, chopped prunes and pecans, sugar and spices. Set aside.
Melt the honey in the warm water.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and honey mixture LONG ENOUGH FOR THE MIXTURE TO INCREASE IN VOLUME.
Fold the these 'wet' ingredients into the 'dry' veg ones
Divide the batter equally between the two baking tins
Bake for 35 - 40 mins.
Cool in tins
Decorate with Mascarpone mix
