Apricot & root veg cake with honey yoghurt icing

Ingredients

70 ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil , plus extra for greasing

2 medium carrots , (100g)

1 beetroot , (100g)

2 parsnips , (100g)

1 orange

120 g quality maple syrup

2 large free-range eggs

150 g wholegrain spelt flour

1 pinch of mixed spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

60 g dried apricots , preferably unsulphured

40 g pumpkin seeds , plus extra to decorate

edible flowers , to decorate (optional)

YOGHURT & HONEY ICING

150 g cream cheese

150 g Greek-style natural yoghurt

25 g clear runny honey

½ teaspoon quality vanilla extract

1 lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease the base and sides of an 18cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a little rapeseed oil, and line the base with baking paper.
Peel and grate the carrots, beetroot and parsnip into a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of the orange and add two-thirds to the veg (reserving the rest for the frosting) along with the maple syrup, eggs and rapeseed oil. Fold in the flour, spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Finely dice the apricots, then add to the bowl along with the seeds. Mix everything until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the tin after 20 minutes, until the top is light pinky-golden and bounces back when pressed lightly, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.
Meanwhile, to make the icing, whisk together all the ingredients except the lemon, and most of the reserved orange zest, until completely smooth. Squeeze in a tiny bit of lemon juice and whisk in. Cover and pop in the fridge until needed.
When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a plate or stand, then finish with the icing, smoothing it all over the top of the cake with the back of a spoon.
Decorate the cake with the remaining orange zest, extra pumpkin seeds and edible flowers, if you like, then serve.
This cake will keep for up to five days in a sealed container in the fridge.

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