Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Parsnip, Fennel and Cumin Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
1 hour 30 minutes
35 minutes
5 hours
Serves:
Two-tier cake (serves 12–16)
Sumayah created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 15. She was the only baker that week to attempt two separate sponges — a parsnip, cumin and fennel tier beneath a beetroot, ginger and walnut tier, layered with treacle-and-cinnamon Swiss meringue buttercream. Paul Hollywood called it one...
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Ingredients
FOR THE PARSNIP, CUMIN & FENNEL SPONGE (LOWER TIER): 2 tsp ground cumin, lightly toasted 1½ tsp ground fennel 4 large eggs 220 g soft light brown sugar 220 ml mild vegetable oil 250 g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda Pinch of fine salt 300 g finely grated parsnip
FOR THE BEETROOT, GINGER & WALNUT SPONGE (UPPER TIER): 3 large eggs 200 g soft light brown sugar 180 ml mild vegetable oil 230 g plain flour 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp ground ginger 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger 280 g finely grated raw beetroot 90 g toasted chopped walnuts
FOR THE TREACLE & CINNAMON SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM: 4 egg whites 220 g caster sugar 320 g soft unsalted butter 2 tbsp black treacle 1½ tsp ground cinnamon Pinch of salt
FOR THE DEHYDRATED LEAVES: 1 small parsnip, very thinly sliced 1 small beetroot, very thinly sliced
FOR THE TEMPERED CHOCOLATE COLLAR: 300 g dark chocolate, for tempering
TO ASSEMBLE: 2–3 tbsp blackcurrant jam (optional)
EQUIPMENT: Two round cake tins (about 20 cm / 8 in and 15 cm / 6 in) Box grater Stand Mixer Palette knife or offset spatula Acetate strip Cake dowels Wire cooling rack
Method
STEP 1: TOAST THE SPICES
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the ground cumin and ground fennel for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Tip out and leave to cool — ground spices scorch quickly.
STEP 2: MAKE THE PARSNIP SPONGE
Heat the oven to 170°C fan / 190°C / 375°F and line the larger cake tin. Whisk the eggs and soft light brown sugar until pale and thick, then whisk in the oil. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, toasted spices and salt, then fold through the grated parsnip. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
STEP 3: MAKE THE BEETROOT SPONGE
Line the smaller tin. Whisk the eggs and soft light brown sugar to a pale ribbon, then whisk in the oil. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger, followed by the grated fresh ginger. Finally fold through the grated raw beetroot and toasted walnuts. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
STEP 4: DEHYDRATE THE LEAVES
Slice the extra parsnip and beetroot into thin ribbons or leaf shapes. Lay them on a lined tray and dry in a very low oven (about 100°C / 210°F) for 1½–2 hours, until crisp and leathery. Set aside.
STEP 5: MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM
Put the egg whites and caster sugar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 65°C / 150°F and feels smooth between your fingers. Whisk on high to a stiff, glossy meringue that is cool to the touch, then beat in the soft butter a piece at a time until silky. Beat in the black treacle, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
STEP 6: TEMPER THE CHOCOLATE COLLAR
Temper the dark chocolate: melt to 45–50°C / 113–122°F, cool to about 27°C / 81°F, then rewarm to 31–32°C / 88–90°F. Pipe fine, branch-like lines along a strip of acetate cut to the height and circumference of the stacked cake. Chill briefly, until just set but still flexible.
STEP 7: FILL AND STACK
Level and split each sponge. Sandwich each cake with the treacle-cinnamon buttercream, adding a thin layer of blackcurrant jam if using. Crumb-coat both cakes and chill. Stack the beetroot tier on the parsnip tier, inserting cake dowels into the lower tier for support.
STEP 8: DECORATE
Wrap the acetate strip of piped chocolate around the chilled cake, pressing gently so the branches take the curve. Chill until fully set, then peel away the acetate. Finish with the dehydrated beetroot and parsnip leaves.
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Instructions
FOR THE PARSNIP, CUMIN & FENNEL SPONGE (LOWER TIER):
2 tsp ground cumin, lightly toasted
1½ tsp ground fennel
4 large eggs
220 g soft light brown sugar
220 ml mild vegetable oil
250 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of fine salt
300 g finely grated parsnip
FOR THE BEETROOT, GINGER & WALNUT SPONGE (UPPER TIER):
3 large eggs
200 g soft light brown sugar
180 ml mild vegetable oil
230 g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
280 g finely grated raw beetroot
90 g toasted chopped walnuts
FOR THE TREACLE & CINNAMON SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM:
4 egg whites
220 g caster sugar
320 g soft unsalted butter
2 tbsp black treacle
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
FOR THE DEHYDRATED LEAVES:
1 small parsnip, very thinly sliced
1 small beetroot, very thinly sliced
FOR THE TEMPERED CHOCOLATE COLLAR:
300 g dark chocolate, for tempering
TO ASSEMBLE:
2–3 tbsp blackcurrant jam (optional)
EQUIPMENT:
Two round cake tins (about 20 cm / 8 in and 15 cm / 6 in)
Box grater
Stand Mixer
Palette knife or offset spatula
Acetate strip
Cake dowels
Wire cooling rack
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: TOAST THE SPICES
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the ground cumin and ground fennel for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Tip out and leave to cool — ground spices scorch quickly.
STEP 2: MAKE THE PARSNIP SPONGE
Heat the oven to 170°C fan / 190°C / 375°F and line the larger cake tin. Whisk the eggs and soft light brown sugar until pale and thick, then whisk in the oil. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, toasted spices and salt, then fold through the grated parsnip. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
STEP 3: MAKE THE BEETROOT SPONGE
Line the smaller tin. Whisk the eggs and soft light brown sugar to a pale ribbon, then whisk in the oil. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger, followed by the grated fresh ginger. Finally fold through the grated raw beetroot and toasted walnuts. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
STEP 4: DEHYDRATE THE LEAVES
Slice the extra parsnip and beetroot into thin ribbons or leaf shapes. Lay them on a lined tray and dry in a very low oven (about 100°C / 210°F) for 1½–2 hours, until crisp and leathery. Set aside.
STEP 5: MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM
Put the egg whites and caster sugar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 65°C / 150°F and feels smooth between your fingers. Whisk on high to a stiff, glossy meringue that is cool to the touch, then beat in the soft butter a piece at a time until silky. Beat in the black treacle, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
STEP 6: TEMPER THE CHOCOLATE COLLAR
Temper the dark chocolate: melt to 45–50°C / 113–122°F, cool to about 27°C / 81°F, then rewarm to 31–32°C / 88–90°F. Pipe fine, branch-like lines along a strip of acetate cut to the height and circumference of the stacked cake. Chill briefly, until just set but still flexible.
STEP 7: FILL AND STACK
Level and split each sponge. Sandwich each cake with the treacle-cinnamon buttercream, adding a thin layer of blackcurrant jam if using. Crumb-coat both cakes and chill. Stack the beetroot tier on the parsnip tier, inserting cake dowels into the lower tier for support.
STEP 8: DECORATE
Wrap the acetate strip of piped chocolate around the chilled cake, pressing gently so the branches take the curve. Chill until fully set, then peel away the acetate. Finish with the dehydrated beetroot and parsnip leaves.
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