Parsnip Birthday Cake w/ a Beet tinted Pink Cream Cheese Icing
Hello Everyone!
It’s my birthday week and a time of year that I always look forward to.
Here in Maine, the light is slowly returning. But it’s still a contemplative time in the North . A time to consider the New Year and our resolutions to improve, but also a time to gather and to celebrate ourselves and our friends.
So my birthday, Jan 21, comes at a great time. The holidays are over and there is a bit of a let down. Valentine’s is still a couple weeks away. So why not open some champagne and throw a party?
This year, I plan to invite a half a dozen friends, bring out vintage champagne and bake this cake. It’s built like a carrot cake with cream cheese icing. II like coconut,toasted walnuts and raisins in mine:
Makes one 9 inch layer, I double it for a layer cake.
THE CAKE
1 1/2 cup ap flour, sifted to measure
2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp each ginger and cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
1 stick unsalted butter
1cup light brown sugar
3 large brown eggs at room temp.
1/2 c yoghurt
1 TB real vanilla
2 cups grated parsnip. GRATE THEM SMALL, BY HAND
1/2 cup each h rain, conceit shreds and toasted walnuts
Cream the butter and sugar, adding in the eggs , yoghurt and vanilla slowly.
Combine with dry, ingredients folding in carefully . Add the parsnip,nuts, raisins and coconut last and mix in lightly but thoroughly .
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease 9 inch pan, with amply high sides as the batter is generous.
Bake for about 50 minutes or until done, I use a toothpick as a tester.
Let the cake cool partially before turning it out on a rack .
FROSTING PREPRATION
To cover 2 layers and in between:
Soften 2 1/2 # cream cheese and one stick of butter .
Cook a medium beet, covered and on low heat in a couple inches of water, saving some of the liquid. Cool.
Use a kitchen Aid mixer and whisk, drop in the softened cream cheese and butter. Add a tsp. of vanilla, a 1/4 tsp. of lemon zest ( small grate)and a cup of sifted powdered sugar.
Start the machine slowly until all ingredients for the icing are in corporatated. Then beat on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Be sure the icing is thick enough to spread.
If you like pink as much as I do, add a bit of beet liquid to the icing to achieve the color you want. You may need to add some additional powdered sugar to correct the thickness .
BRING ON THE BIRTHDAY CANDLES AND HAVE SOME FUN!
