The Vegetable You Need In Your Next Cake Isn't Carrot Or Zucchini

Vegetables in cake sounds like an odd idea until you remember carrot cakes and zucchini cakes exist. You can easily find them in bakeries and home kitchens alike, where they hold a spot perpetually reserved for comforting desserts. Given the opportunities, carrot and zucchini can work quite a miracle on your dessert, and guess what? These humble veggies aren't the only fresh produce good enough for this. Parsnips are another lovely addition to the list. It's about time parsnips got its moment in the sun — or more accurately, in the oven.

When you think about it, using parsnips for baked goods makes perfect sense. Despite the many differences between parsnips and carrots, they both share a similar sweet tone. However, while a carrot's sweetness is more prominent and vibrant, a parsnip is a bit more nuanced. It leans on the subtle side, with nutty hints and a spiced edge that is reminiscent of licorice. After the brighter flavors have settled, you also get an earthy depth. It plays beautifully against warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. This makes parsnips the perfect choice for autumn and winter bakes, where its coziness occasionally pops up in each creamy bite. A parsnip cake is everything you could ask for in a rustic dessert: comforting and soothing yet still endlessly decadent.

You'll be glad to know that adding parsnip to a cake is not all that different. The grated parsnip can join the batter either as you're mixing the wet ingredients or after you have combined the wet batter with the dry batter. As always, just spread the batter into the baking pan afterward and bake for around 40 minutes. Let it rest for 15 minutes and flip it out of the pan. All that's missing is a frosting glazed over top and your parsnip cake is good to go.

And what happens if you want to embellish the cake even further? Parsnip pairs quite nicely with a wide range of ingredients, so go for it! Even just a squeeze of orange juice can do wonders, but you don't have to stop there. Imagine a maple-parsnip cake or one dotted with apple pieces and warm spices to immerse yourself in the hearty essence of fall. Or, if you want to get a little off-kilter, throw radicchio into the mix for an utterly satisfying crisp and unforgettable taste.

For the frosting, you can sprinkle in your favorite crunchy nuts to contrast the cake's ultra-tenderness. Ginger stems or fresh rosemary also work if you want an aromatic finish. On the sweeter side, candied fruits are the way to go. Go with kumquat or grapefruit peels for a zesty zing, but stick with berries if you want to capture a summery sweetness instead.