Honey, Parsnip and Coconut Cake

This recipe welcomes a touch of raw real honey. Feel free to use any variety that delights your senses. For a deeper, richer flavour reminiscent of dark treacle, consider a darker honey like our Pure Oak or Wild Mountain honey. Alternatively, a medium honey will offer a more familiar, traditional sweetness.

Ingredients

• 175ml vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 75g Maters & Co honey of your choice
• 280g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 200g of parsnips
• 75g desiccated coconut
• 3 tablespoons coconut flakes
• 300g cream cheese

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease a 22cm round loose-bottomed cake tin and line with baking parchment.
2. Put the eggs, oil, sugar and raw honey in a bowl and whisk for 3-4 mins until thick and creamy.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda over the mixture and fold in carefully, along with the parsnips and desiccated coconut. Spoon into the tin and bake for 45 mins until golden and firm to the touch. Push a skewer into the centre of the cake – if it comes out clean, then it is cooked. If it is still wet, cook for a further 10 mins. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before icing.
4. Put the coconut flakes on a baking tray and put in the oven for about 5 mins until lightly toasted. Keep an eye on them, as they burn quickly
5. To make the icing, put the cream cheese and 2 tbsp honey in a bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy. Spread the icing over the top of the cooled cake and finish with the toasted coconut flakes
6. Serve and enjoy with a lovely cuppa tea or hot chocolate!

Recipe courtesy of the BBC Good Food website.