Spiced Parsnip Cake
I love parsnips. I think they're a very underused vegetable. I found an article in the Oregonian about parsnips in dessert recipes. There was an attached recipe for parsnip cake. Not one to leave well enough alone, I decided to create my own parsnip cake recipe. I used my favorite carrot cake recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that uses a buttermilk glaze in place of cream cheese frosting as my starting point. I wanted to incorporate maple syrup in the cake and the glaze, as I think it complements the parsnips nicely. I tried several spice combinations, and finally settled on French four spice (I used the Penzey's blend which contains white pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves), cinnamon, and ginger. I am quite pleased with the result, and hope you get a chance to try this cake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
- 1/2 cup almond meal flour (2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (1 1/2 ounces)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon french four spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (grade b preferred)
- 3/4 cup superfine or castor sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 cups shredded parsnips (about 2 large parsnips)