I've always been a huge fan of vegetable cakes. I don't mean broccoli cake (though I like that, too) - I mean sweet cakes that use veg as one of their main ingredients. In my experience the British often find this a bit weird - people freak out about zucchini loaf (sorry, courgette loaf) and don't even get them started on pumpkin pie. I guess vegetable-as-baking-ingredient is more of an across-the-pond thing, though there are signs that things are changing over here. Carrot cake is now as much a British classic as it is an American one; beetroot seems to be the cake ingredient du jour, with Nigel Slater extolling its virtues and a very popular version being sold at London farmers' markets; and one of last year's hot cookbooks was all about making cakes healthier using veg. Look - there's even a company in Northumberland specializing in root vegetable cakes.
I realized just how far my veg-in cake-obsession had gone when I found myself whipping up a parsnip and raisin cake the other week, for want of anything more usual in the house. And you know what? It was really good! It didn't taste all that much different to any other root vegetable cake, where the veg in question adds texture, moisture and earthiness rather than any distinct flavour. I don't even like parsnips, but I liked this cake.
Given that root vegetables and squashes abound right now, I've prepared a list of my favourite sweet vegetable-using recipes on the blog. Perfect for when you're (finally) sick of Halloween candy.
Rose Bakery Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Sweet Potato Spice Cake
Beetroot, Walnut and Hazelnut Cake
Orange Squash Cupcakes
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Muffins
All-in-one Holiday Bundt Cake
Sweet Potato Pancakes
12 comments:
i think hiding vegetables in your dessert is a great way to trick kids to eat their vegetables. LOL
Hi Hilary - glad I've found another parsnip fan (in cakes, at least!) - here's another recipe you might like: http://kitchen-maid.blogspot.com/2010/10/sweet-sweet-friday-spicy-parsnip-and.html
wow, great post... just posted my grated pumpkin cupcakes... and they are GOOD!... but you're so right the whole veg in cakes thing is such a trend now although I do have a friend who refuses to eat carrot cake on principle because he believes that carrots are 'main course' and cakes are 'pudding' ha!
I love vegetables in sweets too! I like when they're in there and you can't even taste them(: Great post!
I love this post! a vegetable-based cake is one of my favorite kinds of cakes...mainly because it tends to be more moist, but also because I can fool myself into thinking it's healthier than regular cake...haha.
All of those cakes are beautiful and equally delicious sounding.
Delicious. You know my love of veggies, and veg-based cakes are so wonderful. Why can't every food be veg-filled? ;-)
This is my first visit to your blog and it's lovely! I also like veggie cakes, nut cakes, fruit cakes etc. LOL - If you have a moment please "visit" me in New England and check out my pie, I love company and new Followers are always welcome. I enjoyed my visit today!
Brilliant!
Great recipes! We need to get our veggies somehow - :)
Thank you for sharing.
This post has reminded me that I have two wonderfully bright orange kabocha squashes sitting in a bowl on my kitchen table, waiting patiently to be made into something fancy. :)
I'm not surprised these vegetable cakes are so popular, I had great fun with my Harry Eastwood book last year, I must dig it out and make something else from it.
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