Parsnip Loaf
Fill your kitchen with the aroma of warming spices with this parsnip loaf, a delicious seasonal bake best enjoyed with a warm cup of tea.
Introduction
Arguably my favourite way to cook a parsnip. Cakes that only require a bit of hand mixing are my go-to for last-minute bakes. Simply mix together, and bake. This would be nice served on its own, or with a little yoghurt, for a less sweet treat, but if you want to make an icing the recipe below is a very simple alternative to the traditional cream cheese icing (which I really don’t enjoy). The cream here lightens the icing when whisked and with only a small addition of sugar it doesn’t overwhelm the spiced flavour of the cake.
Ingredients
| 300g (10½ oz) | parsnips, peeled and coarsely grated |
| 25g (1 oz/scant ¼ cup) | pumpkin seeds, plus extra, roughly chopped, for topping |
| 25g (1 oz/1⁄3 cup) | desiccated (dried shredded) coconut, plus extra for topping |
| 3 | eggs |
| 225g (8 oz) | sunflower oil |
| 225g (8 oz/1¼ cups) | light brown soft sugar |
| 225g (8 oz/generous 1¾ cups) | self-raising (self-raising) flour |
| 1 tsp | ground cinnamon, plus extra for topping |
| 1 tsp | ground ginger |
| ½ tsp | ground cardamom |
| ½ tsp | ground coriander |
| zest of ½ | lemon |
| icing (powdered) sugar, for topping | |
| For the icing: | |
|---|---|
| 150g (5½ oz) | cream cheese |
| 75g (2½ oz) | double (heavy) cream |
| 25g (1 oz/2 tbsp) | caster (superfine) sugar |
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (375°F). Grease a straight-edged 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin – mine is 29 x 10 x 7 cm (11½ x 4 x 3 inches) – and line with baking parchment.
Combine the grated parsnips, pumpkin seeds, desiccated coconut, eggs and sunflower oil in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, spices and lemon zest. Once evenly distributed, add to the wet ingredients and whisk together until everything is combined and there are no lumps of flour.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden, well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
When ready to decorate the cake, combine the cream cheese, cream and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together with a hand mixer until thickened and spreadable. Spoon over the top of the cake and use a round-ended knife to spread over the top and create little swirls and dips in the icing.
Sprinkle over some more desiccated coconut and chopped pumpkin seeds, then dust with a little cinnamon and finish with a dusting of icing sugar. Cut into slices and serve.
Best eaten on the day it is iced but it can also be stored in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Just make sure you allow the cake to come to room temperature again before serving.
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