Parsnip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This earthy, perfectly spiced parsnip cake is a terrific and slightly unusual way to take parsnips beyond purées and braises. Think of it as carrot cake's cool cousin who's genuinely comfortable chatting with the farmers at the local farmers' market.
Calories: 331kcal
Ingredients
For the parsnip spice cake
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ½ ounces (235 grams) peeled, shredded parsnips to make 2 tightly packed cups
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
For the frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons peeled grated fresh ginger (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk if needed
Instructions
For the parsnip spice cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed well. Stir in parsnips and walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean from the center of the cake. Cool completely on a rack.
- When cool, frost if you like.
For the frosting
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, ginger (if using), vanilla, and salt and beat until very smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, beating after each addition, until all the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is smooth. If frosting seems too thick, add milk and beat until smooth.
- Pipe or spread over Parsnip Spice Cake and serve.
Notes
- Choose firm, evenly colored parsnips that aren't huge. You can grate them on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor with the shredding disc.
- Make this cake up to a day in advance and, once cool, leave covered at room temperature.
- Leftovers keep for several days. Even when frosted, I tend to keep it at cool room temp, but you can refrigerate it for the sake of the cream cheese frosting if your kitchen is warm.
- The unfrosted cake freezes well for up to three months. Wrap tightly in cling film, then foil, and place in a zip-top freezer bag with the air squeezed out.
Nutrition
Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19.4g | Fiber: 2.2g