Parsnip & Walnut Loaf Cake
A cake for cultivating cozy
On Friday I took the train to Edinburgh. When I left home early in the morning, the air was heavy and a dense fog hung over London as the earliest signs of sunlight poked through. Travelling within the UK, and Europe generally, has been low on my list of priorities since moving here in May, but I’ve finally decided to start exploring more. The train was comfortable and quiet, passing through Doncaster, Darlington, Durham. After a few very busy weeks, five hours with little to do but sit and think felt like a gift. By the time we entered Scotland, the sun was up and shining, a sight not to be taken for granted here, and traces of the early fog draped elegantly over fields recently harvested and picturesquely ruddy towns. It was lovely.
The cold weather really set in this week and while walking outside in my winter jacket and scarf with hands stuffed into the depths of my pockets, I thought about our urge to create comfort - often in the form of food - as the seasons shift towards colder months. Is it an evolved hunkering down in preparation for hibernation, or something akin to it? A strategy for bearing the cold brunt of winter by giving ourselves little kindnesses to look forward to when we can’t be asked to leave home after 4:00pm (am I the only one?). A means of crafting nostalgia linked to warm memories with family and friends? Regardless, our winter cravings for comfort foods are undeniable. Warm soups, stews, and freshly baked sweets hit the spot on a cold day in a way that a leafy salad never could.
With that in mind, this Saturday I’m sharing the recipe for a parsnip and walnut loaf cake that cultivates plenty of cozy. This cousin of carrot cake made with grated parsnips has a delicate flavour reminiscent of warm spices like cinnamon, clove, and anise and a moist crumb cratered with roasted walnuts. A thick slice of this cake served warm, slathered with soft butter, and sprinkled with tiny crystals of salt makes my heart sing.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
255g (1¾ cups) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
125g (heaping ½ cup, packed) dark brown sugar
100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
240g (1 cup) neutral oil, like vegetable or sunflower oil
3 large eggs
200g (2 cups) grated parsnip (roughly 3 small or 2 large)
75g (½ cup) roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
For the glaze (optional):
80g (⅔ cup) powdered sugar
Pinch salt
2 tbsp milk or water
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line an 8.5x4.5” (22 x 11cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together both sugars with the oil, ensuring that you break up any clumps of sugar, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until homogeneous.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until just barely combined (you should still have some dry patches of flour in the bowl). Then, stir in the grated parsnip and finally, fold in the walnuts once or twice, being careful not to over mix. By now your batter should be fully combined. Use a spatula to transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake until a cake tester or knife inserted into the centre comes out clean, 65-75 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then carefully lift it out of the pan and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
4. For the glaze, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, then whisk in the salt and milk/water until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to harden, then slice and serve.
-Roast your walnuts! It breaks my heart to think about all of the flavour and crunch that you’ll be missing out on if you don’t. To ensure that they are evenly and thoroughly roasted, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and roast them on a sheet tray for ~5-8 minutes, giving them a toss halfway. Keep a close eye as nuts can burn easily. To check if they’re ready, crack one in half and check if it is browned throughout before pulling them from the oven.
-Make sure that the parsnips you use are relatively fresh. Older, dry parsnips can result in a fibrous cake instead of a tender, delicate one.
