Carrot-Parsnip Mini Cakes With Orange Drizzle

Our mini carrot cake recipe is topped with a sweet orange glaze.

Carrot Parsnip Mini Cakes
Photo:

Carson Downing

Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 40 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
Makes 6 cakes or 1 loaf

Carrots might be a go-to for Easter cakes, but don’t overlook their cream-hue cousin parsnips. What they lack in color, they make up for in flavor with a nutty, earthy, slightly sweet taste. This twist on a classic carrot cake recipe is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, orange zest, and vanilla. These spices help highlight the sweet flavors of the root vegetables. This carrot cake recipe can be made into six mini cakes or one large loaf.

Test Kitchen Tip: Parsnips add an interesting earthy flavor, but in a pinch, you can use all carrots if you like.

Ingredients

Carrot-Parsnip Mini Cakes

  • 1 cup all purpose flour

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp orange zest

  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

  • 2 eggs, room temperature

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup milk

  • 2 tbsp butter

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot

  • 1/2 cup finely shredded parsnip

Orange Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp orange zest

  • 1 to 2 tbsp orange juice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease six 4- to 5-inch individual loaf pans or grease one 8×4-inch loaf pan halfway up the sides of the pan.

  2. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

  3. In a medium bowl beat eggs with a mixer on high until thick, 4 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour mixture; beat on low to medium just until combined.

  4. In a small saucepan heat and stir milk and butter until butter melts; add to batter along with the vanilla.

  5. Beat until combined. Fold in carrot and parsnip. Divide batter among prepared pans.

  6. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes for mini loaves and 45 to 50 minutes for 8×4-inch loaf pan. Cool in pans on a rack at least 1 hour. Loosen sides; remove from pans.

Orange Icing

  1. In a small bowl stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. orange zest, and enough orange juice to make drizzling consistency (1 to 2 Tbsp.). Spoon Orange Icing over top of mini loaves.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you'd like a thicker, richer frosting more similar to classic carrot cake, frost the cakes with homemade Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. In a medium bowl combine 1/2 of an 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened; 2 Tbsp. softened butter; 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar; 2 tsp. orange zest; 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread it over the cooled cakes.

To Store: Do not ice the cakes. Cover and store up to 5 days in refrigerator. Add a drizzle of the glaze or cream cheese frosting just before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

180 Calories
3g Fat
36g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 179.9
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1.6g 8%
Cholesterol 36.5mg 12%
Sodium 74.6mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 36.4g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3%
Total Sugars 26.8g
Protein 2.5g
Vitamin D 0.2mcg 1%
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 0.8mg 4%
Potassium 80.9mg 2%
Fatty acids, total trans 0.1g
Vitamin D 9.3IU
Alanine 0.1g
Arginine 0.1g
Ash 0.6g
Aspartic acid 0.2g
Caffeine 0mg
Carotene, alpha 159.5mcg
Choline, total 29.5mg
Copper, Cu 0mg
Cystine 0.1g
Energy 752.7kJ
Fluoride, F 0.5mcg
Folate, total 29.5mcg
Glutamic acid 0.6g
Glycine 0.1g
Histidine 0.1g
Isoleucine 0.1g
Leucine 0.2g
Lysine 0.1g
Methionine 0.1g
Magnesium, Mg 7.3mg
Manganese, Mn 0.1mg
Niacin 0.7mg
Phosphorus, P 48.9mg
Pantothenic acid 0.3mg
Phenylalanine 0.1g
Phytosterols 0.2mg
Proline 0.2g
Retinol 32mcg
Selenium, Se 6.6mcg
Serine 0.1g
Starch 0.2g
Theobromine 0mg
Threonine 0.1g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.3mg
Tryptophan 0g
Tyrosine 0.1g
Valine 0.1g
Vitamin A, IU 886.4IU
Vitamin A, RAE 70.9mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 0.9mcg
Water 25.4g
Zinc, Zn 0.2mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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