Spiced parsnip cake with apple jam and cream cheese frosting

Name: Spiced parsnip cake with apple jam and cream cheese frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces; 1 bunch rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1cm pieces; 5 eggs, plus 1 extra eggwhite; 6 rosemary sprigs; 1 cup (220g) caster sugar, plus 2 tbs extra; 2 2/3 cups (400g) plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 tsp ground allspice; 400ml sunflower oil; 3 parsnips (430g), grated; Juice of 1 lemon; 1/3 cup (75g) hazelnuts, chopped; 1 Granny Smith apple, finely chopped; 1 cup (320g) apricot jam; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 2 tsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped; 200g unsalted butter, chopped, softened; 4 cups (480g) pure icing sugar, sifted; 750g cream cheese, softened

5 ratings

20m

1h 15m

Spiced parsnip cake with apple jam and cream cheese frosting

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by Phoebe Wood

Oct 28, 2015

If you like carrot cake, you'll love this spiced parsnip cake made extra special with apple jam, decadent cream cheese frosting and dehydrated fruits.

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
1 bunch rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1cm pieces
5 eggs, plus 1 extra eggwhite
6 rosemary sprigs
1 cup (220g) caster sugar, plus 2 tbs extra
2 2/3 cups (400g) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
400ml sunflower oil
3 parsnips (430g), grated
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup (75g) hazelnuts, chopped

Apple, apricot and rosemary jam

1 Granny Smith apple, finely chopped
1 cup (320g) apricot jam
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Cream cheese frosting

200g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
4 cups (480g) pure icing sugar, sifted
750g cream cheese, softened

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 90°C. To make dried fruit, place apple and rhubarb on a baking paper-lined baking tray and bake for 5 hours or until dehydrated. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
2.

Increase oven to 160°C. To make sugared rosemary, whisk extra eggwhite and brush over rosemary. Scatter with extra 2 tbs caster sugar and place on a baking paper-lined baking tray. Bake for 6 minutes or until fragrant and sugar is crystallised.
3.

Meanwhile, for the apple jam, place all ingredients in a pan over low heat and cook for 10 minutes or until apple is tender. Cool completely, then chill until needed.
4.

Increase oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and sides of two 15 cm round cake pans with baking paper. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices, remaining 1 cup (220g) sugar and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Whisk oil and eggs in a separate bowl to combine. Stir oil mixture into dry ingredients, then fold through parsnip, lemon juice and hazelnuts. Divide batter between pans and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5.

For the frosting, using an electric mixer, beat butter and icing sugar until pale. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
6.

Trim the tops of the cakes to level, then slice each cake in half horizontally so there are 4 cake layers. Place one cake layer on a cake stand and spread with 1/2 cup frosting and 1/3 cup (110g) jam. Repeat layering two more times, finishing with a final layer of cake. Spread top and sides thickly with the remaining frosting, then drag a small palette knife around the cake to form ridges. Top with dried fruit and sugared rosemary to serve.