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Parsnip-Pecan Cake is a magically moist spice cake, perfect for special occasions year round. This Gluten-free cake recipe is also grain-free and Paleo.
Parsnip-Pecan Cake is an easy flourless blender recipe — quick to blend, bake and serve!
Ingredients in Parsnip-Pecan Cake
Parsnips, pecans and a small amount of chia seeds … come together to make the cake batter:
- Parsnips offer a wonderful texture and flavor to baked goods: Their starchy-good sweetness makes them an excellent choice for the spice-cake genre. They help make the cake so moist, like carrot cake, but quite possibly better.
- The pecans function as flour, as do the tiny bit of chia seeds. The cake is soft but not crumbly and excellent the second day for breakfast. (wink)
This recipe also contains: eggs, natural oil, honey (or maple syrup if preferred), cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Buttercream frosting options
Two frostings works great for this cake: Satin Buttercream for those who eat butter, or AIP Buttercream, for those who are dairy-free.
Both frostings pipe beautifully and taste perfect with this cake.
How to make Paleo Parsnip-Pecan Cake
This recipe is happily and simply made in the blender!:
- The night before, or six hours before, soak pecans in enough water to cover them by two inches. After the elapsed time, drain through colander.) This just makes them soft enough to purée easily into the batter.
- Prepare cake pan, and preheat oven. (Full recipe below.)
- Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (not including the pecans).
- Purée wet ingredients in blender, including: cooked parsnips, wet pecans, eggs, oil and honey.
- Add dry ingredients to blender. Blend just 5 to 8 seconds, to mix, and pour/scrape into cake pan.
- Bake, cool … add frosting if you wish, and serve!
Parsnip-Pecan Cake (Gluten-free, Paleo)
Parsnip-Pecan Cake with Satin Buttercream is a magically moist spice cake, perfect for special occasions year round. This Gluten-free cake recipe is also grain-free and Paleo.Parsnip-Pecan Cake is an easy blender recipe -- quick to blend, bake and serve!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 285kcal
Cost: $8
Equipment
- cake pan -- an 8" or 9" round cake pan for a layer cake, or a slightly larger square/rectangular pan is fine if you don't plan to cut it horizontally for frosting a layer cake
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1-½ cups pecans
- 1 cup parsnips boiled until very soft (or steamed) and puréed till smooth (measure after puréeing)
- ¾ cup avocado oil or butter, melted (also okay to use: olive oil, or other solid fat, melted)
- ½ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons chia seed meal , see how-to method below in Recipe Notes
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , sifted
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Soaking the pecans (This just makes them soft enough to purée easily into the batter.)
- The night before, or a minimum of six hours before making the cake, soak pecans in a large bowl in enough water to cover them by two inches. After the elapsed time, drain through colander.)
Cake recipe
- Grease desired cake pan. Line the bottom if you plan to unmold it for a layer cake, with parchment paper cut to size. Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- Place chia seed meal, cinnamon, baking soda and sea salt in a small bowl. Stir well to mix. Set aside.
- Place remaining ingredients into blender: eggs, wet pecans, soft-cooked parsnips, fat and honey. Blend for 30 to 50 seconds until the batter is smooth.
- With the motor on, add the dry ingredients. Process just long enough to incorporate them thoroughly, without over-mixing, about 5 to 8 seconds. Use a spatula to quickly fold in any dry ingredients by hand, if needed.
- Pour/scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with dry crumbs adhering. Start checking at 30 minutes. Cool on rack before slicing or frosting.
- When cake is cool, slice horizontally through the middle, if desired, to frost the center as well as the top, for a layered cake. (See frosting recipe links below in the Notes section.)
Notes
Frosting notes
Two frostings works great for this cake: Satin Buttercream for those who eat butter, or AIP Buttercream, for those who are dairy-free. Both frostings pipe beautifully and taste perfect with this cake. The frosting for this cake is amazing, glorious to pipe. If, however, you intend to frost the entire cake -- top, sides etc, I recommend serving it room temperature. It firms up in the fridge and will not stick to the cake as well. I love it both ways. When I pipe, as you see in the photos, I personally like to chill it. The embellishments will also hold their shape beautifully if left at room temperature, though. You could always chill it and then pull it out one hour before serving for the best of both worlds.How to make chia seed meal
To make chia seed meal, simply blend chia seeds in high-powered blender, or spice grinder, for 10 seconds. I blend 2 cups at a time (in the blender) for best results and store leftovers in the fridge.Nutrition
Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
Pin Parsnip-Pecan Cake here:
More great Paleo parsnip recipes
- Ground Beef and Parsnip Poppers
- Mashed Parsnips
- Best Parsnip Hashbrowns
- Paleo AIP Shepherd’s Pie
- Best AIP Chili Recipe
- Middle Eastern Beef Stew with Za’atar
- Best Low FODMAP Stuffing
- Gluten-free Egg-free Waffles (Paleo, Vegan, hidden veggies waffle recipe)
- Paleo AIP Ground Beef Curry
- Low FODMAP Beef Curry with Beef or Lamb Stew Meat
Ariana Mullins says
This is gorgeous!! The buttercream frosting with gelatin is such a fantastic idea– will definitely have to give it a try!
Megan Stevens says
Sooo glad!! 🙂 Thank you!!
Loriel says
What a beautiful cake! I love that it is made with parsnips — so cool.
Megan Stevens says
They really are an amazing veggie. Thank you, Loriel. <3
Renee Kohley says
This is so great! Your mom is so blessed to have you! What a yummy looking cake! Love the frosting – so great!
Megan Stevens says
🙂 Thanks, Renee!! Yes, hope you enjoy the frosting!!
Jessica from SimplyHealthyHome says
Yum. This looks beautiful….awesome job.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Jessica! 🙂
linda spiker says
This cake is so beautiful Megan! And I never would have thought of using parsnips in a cake:)
Megan Stevens says
Thank you, Linda!! They are just right, like a carrot~ sweet and cozy. 😉
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
This cake looks absolutely delicious! So beautiful too!
Megan Stevens says
It is delish. 🙂 Thank you, Emily!!
Tash @ HolisticHealthHerbalist says
Wow! I have never heard of using parsnips in baking before! I’ll have to try this out!
Megan Stevens says
Great. So glad!!
Anna @GreenTalk says
I also have never used parsnips in baking. I grow them so now I am looking at them in a different light. Your cake is so beautiful.
Megan Stevens says
Thank you, Anna. It is fun to hear about you growing them. Our kids love this veggie, as do we. I can add that to my Someday list of things to grow. Enjoy~ hope you get to make this cake!
May says
This cake looks amazing! I cannot wait to try parsnip in a cake and the satin cream sounds divine! <3
Megan Stevens says
Thank you, May!! I think you will love them. 🙂
Amanda says
Hi there, is is 2 tablespoons of chia meal?
Megan Stevens says
Yes! thanks for asking! 🙂
Vicki says
Can broken nuts be sprouted, or do they have to be whole nuts?
Megan Stevens says
Yes, great question. They can be broken. They just need to be raw.
Dorothy says
I hope to try mashed this gourmet looking cake soon. Would the parsnips be measured before they’re cooked?
Megan says
Hi Dorothy, good clarification question: I just updated the Recipe card. Measure after pureeing. 🙂