Parsnip Cake

Parsnip Cake
From Kitchen Sense

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 10 minutes or so
Baking time: 40 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus enough to grease the pan – should be softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups shredded, peeled parsnips
1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and butter a 9”x13” baking dish or 2 (9”) round pans to make a layer cake. (I place parchment paper to fit for easy cake removal)

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and salt.

3. The book suggests changing to a wooden spoon at this point, but I missed that in the instructions and continued to use the paddle. But first, I mixed one cup of flour with baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon (oops, I forgot that altogether) and stirred to combine. After mixing that into the egg/sugar mixture with the paddle, I added the resto of the flour and mixed that in.
4. Change to a wooden spoon to stir in the grated parsnips and toasted nuts. Once well blended, transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly to fill out the pan (the batter is very thick).

5. Bake until the cake has risen, set, browned and pulls away from the sides of the pan ( about 30 minutes for round pans, 35-40 minutes for the large pan). The cake is ready when it springs back to the touch and a tooth pick comes out dry.

6. Remove from the oven and place the baking dish on a rack to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Unmold onto a wire rack, (flip upside down and remove the parchment, if you’re using, then flip right side up) until completely cooled… at least if your family will wait that long.