Let’s Bake a Cake

Maple Trout Lilli writes:

PARSNIP CAKE WITH MAPLE MASCARPONE CREAM

“Where there is cake, there is hope, and there is always cake.”
– Dean Koontz

I was speaking with my sister the other day about the state of our world and she said “make a cake – you’ll feel better”…. So I pulled out my maple recipes file and found this parsnip cake I’d been meaning to make – now seemed like the most opportune time… Tastes like a spice cake with a delicious cream filling – some suggested doubling the cream filling for the top of the cake as well and I do agree.

THE CAKE:
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon table salt
3 large eggs
1  1/4 cup sugar – regular or maple
3 medium parsnips grated (about a cup)
1 medium firm, tart apple, unpeeled and grated
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Powdered sugar for dusting

MAPLE MASCARPONE CREAM
1 cup mascarpone
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon table salt

[Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cream cheese made from whole cream with a higher fat content than we have here in the U.S. It is much richer and creamier. Vermont Creamery makes a nice one, or you can DIY: 16 oz. cream cheese, 1/3 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup heavy cream – blend until smooth. Yield 1 1/2 cups.]

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 and set the rack to the middle position. Grease and dust with sugar, two 9” cake pans (I used 8”) and it turned out fine.

Melt 2/3 cup unsalted butter and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom and salt.

In a large bowl or mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the melted butter. Using a spatula, work in the flour mixture a little at a time until evenly incorporated. Fold in the grated parsnips, apple and walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Bake until the cakes just begin to pull away from the edge of the pan and the centers are set, 20 to 25 minutes. Set on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes before turning the cakes out to cool completely.

Just before serving make the cream. I made mine and refrigerated until ready to serve. Beat mascarpone with syrup and salt. Sandwich between layers. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Serves 8

—MTL