Parsnip & Ginger Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

A roast isn’t complete without roasted parsnips – and they add a whole new dimension to casseroles and soups too. The trouble is I have a glut of them, little did I know when I planted the seeds back in May, they would do so well. So now it’s parsnips with and in everything! So, what else can I make with this root vegetable?

Carrot cake has to be one of my all time favourites cakes, so why not switch with parsnip?  This bake is everything a carrot cake wants to be! It’s moist, not too sweet, lightly spiced and a great way to eat one of your five-a-day.  If you’re new to baking this really is a doddle to make.

Start with room temperature ingredients, always, this is very important, especially with butter based cakes, icings and frostings.

Pre-heating the oven is essential.  Weigh all the dry ingredients first and set them to one side and have your greased and lined tins at the ready.

The next stage couldn’t be more simple, grate the parsnips and weigh out 275 grams. Set to one side. Adding warmth and pep of stem ginger really takes this cake to another level, it needs to be finely chopped.

Gently combine the sugar and oil with a balloon whisk until smooth and then add the eggs, whisking again.  Fold in the grated parsnip and then the flour mixture. Divide evenly between the tins then pop in the pre-heated oven. Now for the frosting….

I like a lemon cream cheese frosting with this cake. Whisk the butter, that’s at room temperature with the icing sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Now add the zest of a lemon and the cream cheese, whisk again until smooth.  You’re now ready to sandwich the frosting in your cake.

I really hope you like this cake as much as I do.  Happy baking!

Print Recipe

Parsnip & Ginger Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time28 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time58 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Fika

Keyword: cake,

Servings: 10 portions

Equipment

• 2x20cm cake tins

Ingredients

• 300 g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ginger
• 60 g stem ginger, drained weight finely chopped
• a good Pinch of salt
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 250 ml sunflower/vegetable oil
• 200 g soft light brown sugar
• 275 g parsnips peeled and grated

Frosting

• 200 g cream cheese full-fat
• 30 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 2-3 Tbls icing sugar sifted
• 1 zest of lemon

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 C / 160 C fan / gas mark 4 – and grease and line two 20cm round cake tins.
• Place the flour, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda, lemon zest and salt in a bowl, stir to combine.
• Place the sugar and oil in a large bowl. Whisk with a balloon whisk, then add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until you have a smooth batter. Now add the parsnip and chopped stem ginger. Stir with a spoon. Now tip the flour mixture in and fold into the batter.
• Divide evenly between the two prepared cake tins.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin. Place on a wire rack. Meanwhile you can make the frosting.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth, light and fluffy. Now add the lemon zest. Drain off any watery liquid from the cream cheese then add to the icing. Whisk until combined and smooth.
• Once the cake is completely cool place one of the cakes on a plate. Pipe or spoon the frosting onto it. Place the other cake on top. Dust with icing sugar. Serve. 

Tips:

• If stem ginger is difficult to find, add an extra teaspoon of ground ginger.
• Chopped walnuts (60g) is another lovely addition.
• Stores well in a plastic cake box for up to 3 days.