- Grease and line 3x 20cm round springform baking tins with baking paper and then set aside. Preheat the oven to 180c.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the softened butter and caster sugar and then beat together for 5 minutes until soft, pale and fluffy. Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one in until all of them have been incorporated. Next add the ground almonds, plain flour, baking powder and spices and mix until incorporated (but ensure not to overmix).
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the grated carrot, parsnip and chopped walnuts. Fold these through the mixture. Then divide the cake batter equally between the 3 lined baking tins and smooth over the top.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until well risen and golden on top. You can check the cakes are cooked through by inserting a skewer or cocktail stick into the centre and making sure it comes out clean.
- Remove the baked cakes from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling make the caramel. Place the granulated sugar into a pan and place onto a low heat. Gently melt the sugar, ensuring not to stir it but you can swirl it around the pan to encourage it. You want the sugar granules to melt completely and then turn to a deep golden caramel colour. At this moment, immediately take the pan off the heat and add the butter, stirring it through until it comes together. Then add the double cream and allow this to bubble before stirring through again until you have a smooth caramel. Then add the Maldon Sea Salt before setting aside to allow the caramel to cool, it will thicken as it cools also.
- Now make the icing.
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until its very soft and whipped. Then, with the motor running, add the icing sugar bit by bit until it is all incorporated.
- Then remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the cream cheese and vanilla, mix this in gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until just incorporated but make sure not to overmix. Place this into the fridge while you get your cakes ready to ice.
- Take each cooled sponge and remove it from its tin. Then use a serrated knife to trim off the tops if they have domed when baking to ensure that each layer is even.
- Spread a little icing onto the bottom of your cake plate or stand and then put the first sponge onto this. Spread some more icing on top and then add your second sponge, pressing down lightly. Then repeat with the third. Now ice the top and sides of your cake. It is easiest to do this with a palate knife and then smooth around the edges with a cake scraping tool.
- Once you are happy with icing of the cake you can either pop it in the fridge until you are ready to serve or serve right away. To do the salted caramel drips simply add the cooled caramel into a small squeezy bottle and squeeze some drips and differing lengths around the cake – alternatively you can use a teaspoon if you don’t have a squeezy bottle.
- Finally garnish the top with some finely chopped walnuts and serve.
Serving: 10 people
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
400g caster sugar
400g unsalted butter, softened
9 medium eggs
500g ground almonds
200g plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large carrots, coarsely grated
2 large parsnips, coarsely grated
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
Icing:
200g unsalted butter, softened to room temp
200g icing sugar
400g cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Salted caramel drips:
200g granulated sugar
85g unsalted butter
150ml double cream
2 tsp of Maldon Sea Salt
A small handful of walnuts, finely chopped for garnish
Preparation
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