WInter Baking: Parsnip Apple Cake with Dates

This is my kind of cake, but you knew that by the title.

I love ground nuts in a cake, and those spicy parsnips are just SO GOOD!

It has the profile of that squash cake from Gjelina, which everyone loves.

I made this on a cool, lazy Sunday, having 2 lonely parsnips in the bin.

You can use vegetable oil instead of olive oil if you like (don't shoot me), it really comes out the same.

Any nut will work, almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts (which is what I used).

There is also a good parsnip date cake in the book Six Seasons, which I have made before, but this one is better with the addition of an apple!  

Here's the recipe:

Parsnip Apple Date Cake:

1 1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup of vegetable or olive oil

3 eggs

2 large parsnips, grated

3/4 cup of toasted ground nuts (I used hazelnuts)

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup of chopped dates

1 apple, peeled and diced

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt 

I did not add vanilla, but go ahead if you want.......you can also add lemon zest.....but this cake has enough going on, if you ask me.

Mix the eggs, oil and sugar with the grated parsnips and ground nuts.

Then mix in the rest of the ingredients, it's fairly simple.

Pour the batter into a loaf pan that has been greased and lined with parchment paper.

**Bake for 30 minutes at 350F, then turn the oven down to 325F and bake another 30 minutes.   You might need a little more time (mine took 65 minutes the last time I baked it.....).

Let rest 10 minutes in the pan then remove and transfer to a cooling rack.

If you like, you can do a glaze with confectioners sugar and lemon juice, or just leave it naked (we like icing!).

This cake freezes beautifully and stays moist for days!    

Enjoy!