SPICED PARSNIP CAKE

Good alternative to the classic carrot cake as they both have an element of sweetness. Grate the softer outer part of the parsnip, as the inner core can be woody and tough.

3/4 cup (185 ml) neutral oil, eg rice bran
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs 
¼ cup natural yoghurt
1 cup grated parsnip, packed
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 1/3 cups plain white flour or white spelt flour
2 tablespoons wholemeal flour or more white flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sultanas
½ cup pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts

1 cup (250g) mascarpone
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Heat oven to 180° C. Line and grease a 20 cm round cake tin. Place oil, sugar, eggs and yoghurt in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Mix in parsnip and orange zest. In a separate bowl combine flours, baking powder, spices, salt, sultanas and pumpkin seeds or walnuts. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold together until just combined. Scoop batter into tin, smooth the surface and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer cake to a cooling rack.

Use a spoon to beat together the mascarpone, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Spread icing over the cooled cake and decorate with pumpkin seeds (we toasted and crystallized ours in a little raw sugar first). Cake will keep well for two to three days in an airtight container or cake tin (store it in the fridge if iced).

Recipe courtesy of Nicola Galloway, NZ Gardener Garden Diary