Partner Content: Parsnip and Pear Spiced Christmas Cake

Spiced Parsnip and Pear Cake

4 (medium) Eggs
1½ cups Soft brown sugar
320 g Unsalted butter, melted
2½ cups Flour
14 g Bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Deli Spices Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Deli Spices Ground Ginger
½ tsp Deli Spices Ground Cloves
Pinch Salt
100 g Parsnip, peeled and grated
200 g Pear, peeled and grated
1 Orange, zested

Orange Syrup

1 cup Water
100 g Sugar
½ Orange, zested

Cream Cheese Icing

400 g Cream cheese
2 Tbsp Honey
1 tsp Deli Spices Ground Cinnamon

Garnish

½ cup Hazelnuts, toasted
½ cup Orange slices
½ cup Fresh mint

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170ºC and grease two 15 cm cake tins.
2. In an electric mixer beat the eggs, sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, Ground Cinnamon,
   Ground Ginger, Ground Cloves and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mix until just combined.
4. Fold in the pear, parsnip and orange zest.
5. Pour the batter into two lined tins and bake for 40 – 45 minutes.
6. In a small saucepan add the water and sugar, dissolve before bringing to the boil over a medium heat.
7. Swirl the pan to assist the sugar in dissolving. Allow to boil for 10 minutes.
8. Add the orange zest and remove from the heat.
9. In an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
10. Add the honey and Ground Cinnamon and mix until combined.
11. Drizzle the orange syrup over each layer of the cake.
12. Spread the icing between each layer of cake and stack to form one, two layered cake.
13. Garnish the cake with toasted hazelnuts, orange slices and fresh mint.