Parsnip and Apple Cake

Parsnips are one of the most underrated vegetables, along with celeriac. Yes, they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing, usually they even look downright ugly. But what they do have going for them is low air miles because they thrive in the UK and Ireland, they are in season during winter when most other fresh veg has long gone, and are high in fibre, vitamin C and potassium.

The advice is to wait until the first frost to harvest parsnips -  I just love any instruction that sounds sort of mystical and wise but is very much based on science.

This cake is inspired by a curried parsnip and apple soup I used to make while studying. My mum bought me a soup maker for my birthday one year and honestly, for a budding dietitian living in cold student accommodation, this was the perfect gift! You’ll be glad to hear that I dropped the curry spices but kept the apple in this recipe – just adds an extra sweet note to make the parsnip flavour sing!

If you are on the fence remember how much you love carrot cake, which are parsnips more mainstream cousins!

Ingredients

• 150g Brown sugar plus 1 Tbs

• 100ml Oil – rapeseed or sunflower

• 2 Free-range eggs

• Approx 2-3 Parsnips – the total starting weight you are aiming for is approx. 280g. Peeled, and grated this will go down to approx. 180g.  This may seem like a lot to lose but between peeling and grating there are some unavoidable losses!

• 1 apple – unpeeled.

• 165g Self-raising flour

• 1 Tsp ground nutmeg

Method

1.      Preheat your own to 180c. Line a 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper.

2.      Whisk the oil and 150g brown sugar together, add the eggs and whisk again.

3.      Peel the parsnips. Grate them straight into the bowl, followed by the apple. Grate the apple with the skin on.

4.      Mix well.

5.      Add the flour and nutmeg and mix gently to combine.

6.      Pour into the prepared tin.

7.      Sprinkle the remaining one tablespoon of brown sugar over the top of the batter– this gives it a lovely crisp top.

8.      Bake for 40 minutes – check after 35 minutes, it may take 45 minutes depending on your oven. Check that it is done with a toothpick/chopstick – insert it into the middle and if it comes out with no wet dough it’s done.

9.      Cool in the tin for 15 minutes then turn out to cool fully.