• 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 pecans , roughly chopped
• zest and juice 1 small orange
• icing sugar , to serve

1. Heat oven to 180 C.
2. Grease 8″ round cake pans and line the bases with baking parchment.
3. Melt butter, sugar and maple syrup in a pan over gentle heat, then cool slightly.
4. Whisk the eggs into this mixture, then stir in the flour, baking powder and mixed spice, followed by the grated parsnip, apple, chopped pecans, orange zest and juice.
5. Divide between the cake pans. Bake for 25-30 mins until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.
6. Allow pans to cool on a wire rack for ten minutes.
7. Turn cakes out of pans and set on wire rack until completely cooled.

This cake is topped with mascarpone (250g tub) mixed with a little maple syrup (3 tbsp).