Gluten-free Cake – Parsnip Recipe

Gluten-free Parsnip Fruit and Nut Cake

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian

What are your first thoughts, if you think of a gluten-free cake – parsnip cake recipe, I won’t deny, I didn’t think favourably about it when I first heard of it. Who puts parsnips in a cake? Well, me apparently. 

I was first introduced to parsnip cake, only last month during a holiday in Dorset. I was staying in a Plum Cottage, a pretty little estate cottage within the Deans Court estate. Hampered by chilly temperatures and rain all week I didn’t want to venture out much, but I always found a break in the clouds to wander up to the Deans Court café, which was less than a two-minute walk from the cottage. 

It was obvious the first time that I entered the café that it was a little gem. Quietly tucked down a sleepy, dead-end road, it’s surprising to see the cafe so busy, but it soon became clear why. Deans Court also has a walled garden which makes the perfect pairing for the café. All the seasonal, fresh produce grown in the beautiful walled garden is used in the café. to conjure up delicious light lunches and tempting cakes. It was here, on my first visit to the café, when I first discovered the joys of a moist gluten-free parsnip cake. 

I visited most days during my holiday, just to experience another slice.  

Parsnips are reliable winter vegetables, so perfect this gluten-free parsnip cake is ideal for an autumn and winter sweet treat. There should be no surprised about the deliciousness of a parsnip cake. Afterall carrots and parsnips are closely related, and a carrot cake is also one of my favourite cakes. 

This is not a healthy cake, but it is a deliciously good cake

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a healthy fruit and vegetable cake though. I hate to say it, but this cake is far from healthy. That’s what makes it so delicious.  

Thank you so much, Deans Court café for sharing your parsnip recipe with me. I have tweaked it slightly and now would love to share it on my blog. Every time I bake it, I will remember my happy Dorset Holiday at Deans Court. 

Find out about my stay at Plum’s Cottage

Gluten-free cake – parsnip cake recipe

Cake Ingredients

350g parsnips, diced into small pieces (500g before peeling)

100ml apple juice
2 tbsp maple syrup

275g gluten free self-raising flour (I use Doves Farm flour). If you do not follow a gluten free diet, the same quantity if regular self-raising flour works just fine.

1 level tsp baking powder

1 level tsp cinnamon

175g dairy free spread

150g granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

125g sliced dried dates

100g chopped mixed nuts

Cake Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4

1. Firstly, cook diced parsnips in apple juice until soft
2. Whilst the parsnips are cooking, prepare other ingredients
   • mix flour, baking powder and cinnamon
   • cream together sugar, dairy free spread, and vanilla extract
   • Chop nuts and slice dates
3. Once the parsnips are soft leave to cool and remove apple juice, keeping roughly one tablespoon of apple juice in the parsnips
4. As soon as the parsnips are cool mix all cake ingredients, including maple syrup, in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
5. Put cake mix in a lined cake tin and cook in a pre-heated oven and cook for around 40 minutes. (it takes about an hour in my Aga style, wood pellet stove). The cake is cooked as soon a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool

Cake Topping Ingredients

100g icing sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup (more if necessary)

a handful of pecan or walnuts for the top

Cake Topping Method

1. Mix icing sugar and maple syrup until a smooth. The icing should be of a pouring consistence. Add more maple syrup if need.
2. Pour over cake. I personally love it when it drips over the edge.
3. Top with pecans and nuts

Please do leave comments below. Have you made it? What do you think? Did you enjoy it? Improvement suggestions?

Click here to read about my stay at Deans Court