Spiced Parsnip Cake
Most of the prep time for this recipe is due to shredding the parsnips. If you have a food processor, you'll make short work of them and can have the whole cake in the oven in under 25 minutes. Choose either to glaze or frost your cake and plan assembly accordingly.
Servings: 15 -20 pieces
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups 250 g all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 55 g almond meal flour
- ½ cup 40 g unsweetened shredded coconut*
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon French four spice**
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 110 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup 120 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup 120 ml maple syrup, grade B preferred
- ¾ cup 170 g sugar, superfine or castor preferred
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups 200 g parsnips (about 2 large parsnips or 3 small/medium)
[make either Glaze or Frosting, not both]
Glaze
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
Frosting
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 7 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 ⅔ cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F with the rack in the middle. Grease a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with butter or cooking spray, then line with parchment paper.
- Shred the parsnips with a box grater or food processor fitted with the shredder blade.
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, almond meal, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt) in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and aerate the flour.
- Combine the wet ingredients (everything remaining but the parsnips) in a medium bowl. Whisk to fully combine. If using superfine sugar, the sugar should be fully dissolved.
- Add the wet to the dry ingredients, and stir until almost combined. There should be a few streaks of flour remaining.
- Add the grated parsnips and fold to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-50 minutes, until the center springs back from your touch, a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and/or an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.
- If topping with glaze, make the glaze just before you pull the cake out of the oven. Pierce the surface of the cake with toothpicks or the tines of the fork. Pour the glaze on top of the hot cake, avoiding pouring any between the cake and the pan.
- If topping with cream cheese frosting, let the cake cool completely. Frost with the cream cheese frosting.
Glaze
- Heat the maple syrup and butter together in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the maple syrup starts to boil and the butter is almost melted. Stir and let cool several minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk.
Frosting
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand held mixer, beat the butter until completely smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat to combine, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla, then beat until smooth, about 1 minutes. Do not overbeat, as it will cause the frosting to deflate. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes prior to frosting the cake.
Notes
*Or substitute another ½ cup (55 g) almond flour
**Can't find or don't want to buy French four spice (quatre epices)? Simply add ¼ teaspoon each ground white pepper, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger.
**Can't find or don't want to buy French four spice (quatre epices)? Simply add ¼ teaspoon each ground white pepper, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger.