By Casa de Suna
Published Mar 07
We’ve taken a crowd favorite (carrot cake), and given it a classic twist by adding parsnips–a sweet, earthy root vegetable that pack an extra nutritional punch.
Just make sure you gently spoon everything into your measuring cups to avoid packing in too much. Another special touch? Our rosemary sugar–but if you don’t have a food processor, feel free to finely chop.
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How to Make It
Difficulty: Easy
Overall Time: 3 hrs 10 min
Prep Time: 55 min
Cook Time: 35 min + 1 hr 40 min cooling time
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 1¼ cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped rosemary, plus extra sprigs to garnish
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 4 large eggs, separated
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp fancy molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups grated peeled carrots, from about 2 large carrots
- 1 cup grated peeled parsnip, from about 1 medium parsnip
Frosting
- 3½ cups icing sugar
- 1 block (8 oz / 250 g) cream cheese, cold and cut into quarters, divided
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the cake, position rack in centre of oven. Preheat to 350°F. Generously butter two 8-inch metal cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment. Lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
- Add sugars and rosemary to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until rosemary is very finely ground. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour with baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together sugar-mixture with egg yolks, milk, molasses and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk in oil until fully combined. Add carrots and parsnips, folding with a spatula to incorporate. Fold in flour-mixture just until combined. Gently fold in egg whites until no streaks remain. Divide batter among prepared pans; smooth tops.
- Bake in center of oven until a toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for the frosting, add icing sugar with one-quarter block of cream cheese, butter, lemon and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined, 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until very pale and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add remaining three-quarters block cream cheese. Beat on medium-high speed just until combined, 30 seconds.
- When cakes are completely cool, remove parchment. Trim tops, if desired (optional). Set 1 cake on a cake stand or plate. Spoon over just enough frosting to cover, evenly spreading to the edge. Stack with remaining cake to make another layer, then continue with remaining frosting, spreading over top and around sides of cake to cover. Garnish perimeter of cake with rosemary sprigs.
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