Spiced Parsnip, Hazelnut & Pear Loaf

by Liz Child

This loaf has everything I love in a cake. Great texture (thanks to the grated parsnips), not too sweet, lovely fruity bursts from the pear slices and it’s deliciously nutty and spiced, perfect with a hot mug of tea on a chilly Autumn afternoon! I hope you enjoy it as much as I am enjoying it right now. You’ll need a food processor to grind your linseeds and hazelnuts, and a grater for the parsnips, but apart from that it’s a pretty straightforward, one bowl cake.

Liz x

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp flaxseeds, ground into flour in a small food processor
  • 1 tsp each: ground cinnamon, ginger and cardamom (or use mixed spice?)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 150ml vegetable oil
  • 250ml oat milk (or any milk you like eg hazelnut)
  • 200g sugar
  • 250g hazelnuts, ground into a rough flour in a food processor
  • 250g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 250g parsnips, grated
  • 2 large pears

Method

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 175C and line a large (or two small) loaf tin with baking parchment.
  2. Mix the ground flaxseeds, spices, salt, oil, milk and sugar in a large mixing bowl and let it sit while you grind the hazelnuts and grate the parsnips. This time will allow the flaxseeds to absorb some liquid and turn ‘eggy’.
  3. Tip the ground hazelnuts, flour, baking powder and bicarb into the mixing bowl and fold it into the wet ingredients. Don’t over-mix! Just fold it in until it’s fairly well incorporated.
  4. Then fold in the grated parsnip. You should now have a spoonable, thick batter.
  5. Peel the pears and cut them lengthways into quarters. Cut out the cores then cut the quarters into long slices.
  6. Spoon half the batter into the lined loaf tin. Arrange half the pear slices on top, then spoon over the rest of the batter. Smooth it out and place the other half of the pear slices on top. Sprinkle with a few pinches of sugar if you like, then place the tin in the middle of the oven to bake.
  7. Depending on your oven and the size of your loaf tin, this cake should take roughly 90 minutes to bake. Check it at 40 minutes in, then check on it every 15 minute or so after that. It will still be deliciously moist inside because of the pear slices and parsnip, but not wet. You can test it with a skewer. When it’s done to your liking, allow it to cool in the tin. Then carefully move it to a chopping board and enjoy in thick slices with a hot cuppa!

Bergamot Lemon Drizzle Loaf

by Liz Child

Bergamot lemons are really special little citrus fruit. You may recognise the intoxicating fragrance – the essential oils from the skins is what gives Earl Grey tea it’s perfumed flavour. You won’t find these all year round so add them to your order now while they are still in season.

I’ve used them today in this bright little lemon loaf and made an Earl Grey tea and lemon syrup to pour over the sponge while it is still warm. I can never resist adding poppy seeds to a lemon loaf either. The tiny dark specks contrast beautifully with the pale sponge.

What will you be using your bergamot lemons for? Let us know in the comments or over on our community facebook group.

Liz x

*all ingredients in bold are available to add to your order. Just click on the ingredient to be taken to it in our shop and add it to your basket. We deliver to every address in Ireland.

Cake Ingredients

Syrup Ingredients

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 175C and line a loaf tin with baking parchment leaving plenty of over hang.

Measure the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients and whisk again into a smooth batter. Don’t over mix.

*Like many of my recipes, this one is very simple and forgiving. Use a regular coffee/tea mug to measure your ingredients. If your mug is quite big, use a heaped tsp of bicarb and a touch extra vinegar.

Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the tin from the oven and use the overhanging baking parchment to cover up the partially cooked loaf to stop it from burning on top. Alternatively, if you don’t have enough overhang, cover with foil or a baking sheet.

Return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile make the syrup. Strain the tea into a small pot and add the bergamot zest and juice (reserving some zest to decorate the cake).

Bring the mixture to a boil and add sugar to taste. You may prefer a very sweet or more tangy syrup. Boil for 3 minutes or so to slightly reduce the syrup.

When the cake is out of the oven, use a skewer to poke lots of holes all over its surface. Then spoon the syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak into the hot sponge. decorate with the fresh zest you reserved earlier.

Allow it to completely cool in the tin before removing and slicing. Enjoy with a cup of Earl Grey tea.