Ingredients
320-350g parsnips
2 eggs
125 ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
250 g caster sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
375 g self-raising flour
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
60 g walnut pieces, chopped
icing sugar, for dusting
1. Grease a square cake tin by brushing it lightly with neutrally-flavoured oil. Line it with baking parchment, then oil lightly again. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
2. Peel and trim the parsnips, then coarsely grate enough to give 250g of grated vegetable. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the oil, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract and grated parsnips. Stir to combine and set aside.
4. Sift the self-raising flour, cinnamon and salt into a second large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, then pour in the parsnip mixture. Add the chopped walnut pieces and stir just enough to combine the ingredients and make a stiff batter.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, spreading it out fairly evenly into the corners. Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 20 minutes or until the cake is well risen, the top is firm and brown, and a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
6. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes in the tin before lifting it out to a wire rack to cool completely. Dredge with icing sugar before serving.
