Parsnip in a cake? MAXINE GORDON finds it's a winner

VANILLA Black is the much-missed vegetarian restaurant that once graced Swinegate. It moved to London in 2008 and hasn't looked back (it is now recognised as one of the best veggie eateries in the UK and is recommended in the Michelin Guide).

Founder Andrew Dargue has brought out a cook book, Vanilla Black (Saltyard Books, £25), and this week's recipe is from there. It is a cake with unusual ingredients and flavour combo: parsnip, Horlicks and toasted hazelnuts. It was lovely and moist, the earthiness of the parsnip compensated for by the sweet malty topping. However, when I make it again I am going to try it with a ginger icing. My mouth is watering at the thought.


Parsnip cake with Horlicks icing and toasted hazelnuts
Serves 6-8

For the cake
150g sunflower oil (plus more for the tin)
75g toasted almonds
3 eggs, lightly beaten
150g light muscovado sugar
75g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of salt
150g (1 medium) parsnip, peeled and grated

For the icing
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g icing sugar
50g Horlicks malted milk drink
To decorate: 50g hazelnuts, skinned and toasted, and chopped in half

Method

Preheat oven to 155c/135c fan/gm3 Oil a 26 x 12 cm loaf tin and line base with baking parchment Spread ground almonds and hazelnuts (for decoration later) on separate baking trays, then toast in oven for 15-20 mins, or until golden brown, turning with spatula every five minutes so they cook evenly. Set aside to cool.

For the cake, whisk the eggs, oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then add flour, ground almonds, baking powder, ginger and salt. Then fold in parsnip, mix thoroughly.

Spoon into tin and bake for 40-45 mins until firm to touch or skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool for ten mins in tin, then turn out on to a wire rack.

Make icing: beat butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Make paste with Horlicks and 2tbsp of boiling water then beat into buttercream.

Once cake is cool, spread icing over top, chop hazelnuts in half, and scatter over.