Sumayah Kazi

A clear note about the source

This is a full public recreation, not a baker-original transcription. The source presents Sumayah’s two-tier concept as a complete method: a parsnip-cumin-fennel lower tier, beetroot-ginger-walnut upper tier, treacle-cinnamon Swiss meringue buttercream, dehydrated vegetable leaves, and a chocolate collar. The method below keeps those boundaries plain while making the build readable at home.

Ingredients

Parsnip, cumin, and fennel lower tier

• 10ml ground cumin, lightly toasted
• 7.5ml ground fennel
• 4 large eggs
• 220g soft light brown sugar
• 220ml mild vegetable oil
• 250g plain flour
• 10ml baking powder
• 5ml bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of fine salt
• 300g finely grated parsnip

Beetroot, ginger, and walnut upper tier

• 3 large eggs
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 180ml mild vegetable oil
• 230g plain flour
• 7.5ml baking powder
• 2.5ml bicarbonate of soda
• 10ml ground ginger
• 15ml grated fresh ginger
• 280g finely grated raw beetroot
• 90g toasted chopped walnuts

Buttercream and decoration

• 4 egg whites
• 220g caster sugar
• 320g soft unsalted butter
• 30ml black treacle
• 7.5ml ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 small parsnip, very thinly sliced
• 1 small beetroot, very thinly sliced
• 300g dark chocolate, for tempering
• 2–45ml blackcurrant jam, optional
• Cake dowels and a strip of acetate

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan. Toast the cumin and fennel in a dry pan for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, then cool.
2. For the lower tier, whisk the eggs and brown sugar until pale and thick, then whisk in the oil. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, toasted spices, and salt, followed by the grated parsnip. Bake in a lined 8-inch (20cm) tin for 30–35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out.
3. For the upper tier, whisk the eggs and sugar to a pale ribbon and whisk in the oil. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and ground ginger, then the fresh ginger. Fold through the beetroot and toasted walnuts. Bake in a lined 6-inch (15cm) tin for 28–32 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out.
4. Lay the thin parsnip and beetroot slices on a lined tray. Dry at about 100°C for 1½–2 hours, until crisp and leathery.
5. For the buttercream, whisk the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 65°C. Whisk on high to a cool, glossy meringue. Beat in the butter piece by piece, then the treacle, cinnamon, and salt.
6. Temper the chocolate by melting it to 113–50°C, cooling to about 27°C, then warming to 88–32°C. Pipe branch-like lines onto acetate cut to the height and circumference of the stacked cake. Chill until just set and flexible.
7. Level and split both sponges. Sandwich each with buttercream, adding a thin layer of jam if using. Crumb-coat both cakes and chill. Stack the smaller tier on the larger one, using dowels in the lower tier for support.
8. Wrap the chocolate branch collar around the chilled cake. Chill until firm, peel away the acetate, and finish with the dried beetroot and parsnip leaves.

Baker’s tips

• Grate the parsnip and beetroot finely and squeeze neither; their moisture is part of the crumb’s balance.
• Support is not an admission of defeat. Dowels let the upper tier sit calmly while you make the decoration beautiful.
• Work with the chocolate collar while it is flexible. If it sets hard, it will choose its own branch shape.

Make-ahead

Bake both tiers and dry the leaves ahead. The buttercream can be made a day early and re-whipped. Assemble the cake and collar once the tiers are chilled.