Cake

Parsnip Cake

Yes, you did read that title correctly. This is a recipe for parsnip cake! Don’t ask me why I wanted to make a parsnip cake, I’ve just been on a veggies-in-cake kind of mood lately.

I think parsnips are a very under appreciated vegetable, so in this cake they’re the star of the show. If you’ve never had them, they are similar to carrots but have their own distinctly spicy/earthy flavor. They are also more fibrous than carrots, but still sweet, especially when harvested in the winter.

A quick search for “parsnip cake” found mostly recipes that were heavily spiced. I chose to omit spices and really focus on just the parsnip flavor, complemented with a zesty kick of orange. Feel free to add some spices if you like, I think that would be lovely as well!

To frost this cake I made a brown sugar Italian meringue buttercream. Simply use this recipe but substitute brown sugar for the regular sugar.

slice of parsnip cake with a pink buttercream flower

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Parsnip Cake

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Serves: 10-12

Grated parsnips make for a distinctly unique cake, backed up with the freshness of orange zest and juice. Makes one 6 inch cake.

Ingredients

340 g grated parsnip (from about 1 pound whole parsnips)

155 g all purpose flour

70 g whole wheat flour

226 g unsalted butter

160 g sugar

90 g light brown sugar

.5 tablespoons baking powder

.5 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

zest of one large navel orange

.5 tablespoons vanilla

150 g egg (about 3 eggs)

juice of one large navel orange (about 95 grams juice)

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350 F.

2

Grease and line three 6 inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

3

Finely grate parnips with a box grater, then measure out 340 grams and set aside.

4

Sift all purpose flour and whole wheat flour together and set aside.

5

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.

6

Lightly whisk together eggs, then stream into mixer. Add vanilla and orange juice. Mix until everything is well incorporated.

7

Turn the mixer speed down to low and gradually add the sifted flour mixture. Stop mixing as soon as all the flour is added, you will finish mixing the flour by hand.

8

Using a large flexible spatula, fold in parsnips until the the mixture is homogeneous. The batter will be extremely thick.

9

Divide the batter into the three pans, smoothing out with a spatula.

10

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until center of cakes reaches 210 F.

11

Let the cakes cool completely, then slice each layer in half to make a total of six layers. Frost with brown sugar Italian meringue buttercream or your desired frosting.