Parsnip Cake {Testing CL Recipe}

I have not baked for a while, but Baby MiH went for his longest nap ever and I am glad I tried out the Country Living (UK) Parsnip and Walnut loaf cake. It is delicious. 

To make the cake (for 8 fat slices)

• 150 ml sunflower oil
• 150 g soft brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 ripe medium banana, mashed
• 150g self-raising flours, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 125g grated parsnip
• 100g walnuts, roughly chopped

For the topping

• 60g very soft butter
• 75g icing sugar
• 75g full-fat cream cheese (I actually used lighter)
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

How to make it?

1. Heat the oven to 170 C (150 C fan oven) gas mark 3. Grease and line a loaf tin. 

2. Whisk the oil, sugar and egg together until lighter in colour. Whisk in the banana. 

3. Fold in the flour, baking powder and spice, followed by the parsnip and walnuts. Turn into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
4. To make the topping, neat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the cream cheese, a spoonful at a time, followed by the maple syrup. Spread over the top of the cake. 

My aim was the following picture... 

Look at the thick topping - very unlike my own

Clearly I have an issue with the topping, look-wise, although it tastes amazing, so I will not complain too much. 

Yummy! Let me know if you make one and what your topping looks like...