Spiced Parsnip Cake

Every Monday and Wednesday, we'll announce a new Wildcard winner: a recipe that may not have been entered in (or won) a contest, but a recipe that we've tested and loved.

Today: Move over, carrots; there's a new cake in town.

WHO: Hardlikearmour is a veterinarian, baker, cake decorator, and Food52 all star. She lives in Portland.

WHAT: A lighter, fluffier carrot cake -- using parsnips instead!

HOW: Shred your parsnips, fold your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients, and bake. Top with a maple-buttermilk glaze.  

WHY WE LOVE IT: This is one of those recipes we saw and said to ourselves: Why didn't we think of this earlier? And in this cake, parsnips don't just stand in for carrots; the whole cake is lighter, airier, and more delicate than any carrot cake we've had. The parsnip is the star of the show -- with the almond, spices, maple, and coconut as the snazzy backup dancers. We ate this for breakfast and were grinning the rest of the day.

Spiced Parsnip Cake by hardlikearmour

Makes one 9x13-inch cake

Spiced Parsnip Cake

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)

Maple Buttermilk Glaze

1/4 cup maple syrup (grade B preferred)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature 

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Mark Weinberg