Carrot and parsnip picnic loaf

This loaf is the perfect cake to take on a picnic. Dense with carrot and parsnip, studded with walnuts and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, you will be looking for excuses to make it for every occasion, not just those held in the great outdoors!

Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  10

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• sunflower oil, to grease
• 100 g (⅔ cup) wholemeal plain flour
• 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• 145 g (⅔ cup) raw sugar
• 100 g walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 165 ml (⅔ cup) sunflower or light olive oil
• 200 g (about 2 medium) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (see Note)
• 125 g (about 1 medium) parsnips, peeled and coarsely grated (see Note)

Lemon glaze

• 125 g (1 cup) icing sugar mixture, sifted
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice

Cooling time 2 hours

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush a 9 cm x 19 cm (base measurement) loaf tin with oil to grease. Line the base and two long sides with one piece of non-stick baking paper.

Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom into a large bowl. Add the sugar and walnuts and stir to combine.

Put the eggs and oil in a medium bowl and use a fork to whisk until well combined. Stir in the grated carrot and parsnip. Add to the dry ingredients and use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold together until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 45-50 minutesor until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, to make the lemon glaze, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Cover and set aside while the loaf finishes cooling.

Remove the loaf from the oven and stand for a few minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack and setting aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Spoon the lemon glaze over the loaf, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Cool to room temperature (this will take about 1½ hours) and slice to serve.

Note

• You will need about 1⅓ cups coarsely grated carrot and ⅔ cup coarsely grated parsnip for this recipe.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’Brien. Food Preparation by Tina McLeish.

Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. For hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at BakeClub. Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

This recipe is part of our Bakeproof: Winter root vegetables.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.