Rustic Parsnip Cakes w/ Mascarpone Maple Icing for my 50th

Oh lovely parsnip, where have you been all my life?

I had never tried a parsnip until I was about 35 years old (same goes for a turnip). My mother never bought them.

In the winter months I love roasted root vegetables, parsnips being numero uno.

Just peeling this ugly beige carrot evokes such sensory pleasures.
THEY SMELL SO GOOD! Like cloves or some kind of spicy carrot.

Anyone who knows me (and loves me), knows that I have a fondness for carrot cake.
It is my go-to birthday cake, baked by my friend Sally every year on my birthday. No pineapple or coconut please, but yes to raisins and walnuts.

Well, tonight, I am getting that Lady Baltimore Cake that I asked for instead! She is baking it for my birthday dinner. :)

But to honor the beloved carrot birthday cake, I made a close cousin.
A delicious PARSNIP CAKE!

The only tedious thing about this recipe is the grating of the parsnips on a box grater. Watch those knuckles.

I baked them in these cute little muffin cups and frosted them with a mascarpone icing.
I'm a terrible cake froster, so I am calling them "rustic".

Little Rustic Parsnip Cakes: (adapted from Epicurious)

3 parsnips, grated (2 packed cups)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower or vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup golden raisins

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Mix grated parsnips with eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and add in nuts last.

You can make one big cake in an 9" x 11" greased pan, or muffins.......
I opted for 12 muffins and they were great.

Baking time was 30 minutes for muffins, and I imagine a cake would take 5 minutes more.

Let cool completely before icing them.

You can dust with powdered sugar or make a frosting.

MAS-carpone (NOT MAR-scapone!) Icing:

4 oz. of mascarpone (mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese)
1/4 cup of maple syrup
2 tbsp softened butter
1/4 cup of confectioners sugar

Mix ingredients until nice and smooth and spread the icing over the cooled muffins or cake.

I am sharing them with my friends to celebrate my big day.

Have a very Merry Christmas! See you after the holidays.
Enjoy!

xo