Parsnip and Maple Syrup Cake

This was the second cake I made for the staff meeting and it went down a treat. Everyone really loved it. I swapped out the pecans as I can't take nuts to school and added raisins instead. The frosting was delicious, a definite success and you can't taste the parsnips at all!

Parsnip and Maple Syrup Cake (from Good Food Magazine November 2009)
(Serves 8)

175g butter, plus extra for greasing
250g demerara sugar
100ml maple syrup
3 large eggs
250g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
250g parsnips, peeled and grated
1 medium eating apple, peeled, cored and grated
50g raisins
zest and juice 1 small orange
icing sugar, to serve

For the filling
250g tub mascarpone
3-4 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins.

Melt the butter, sugar and maple syrup in a pan over gentle heat, then cool slightly. Whisk the eggs into this mixture, then stir in the flour, baking powder and mixed spice, followed by the grated parsnip, apple, raisins, orange zest and juice.

Divide between the tins, then bake for 25-30 mins until the tops spring back when pressed lightly.
Cool the cakes slightly in the tins before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

When the cakes are cool, mix together the mascarpone and maple syrup. Spread half the mixture over one cake and sandwich with the other. Spread the rest of the mixture on top of the cake and serve.