Root Vegetable Cakes Recipes

VEGGIE CAKES

Steps:

• Grate zucchini, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and set in a fine mesh strainer. Place a bowl or plate on top of the zucchini and weigh it down. I stacked 3 cans on diced tomatoes on top and that did the trick.
• Let it sit for AT LEAST 30 minutes, up to 1 hour. After it has drained, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or a piece of cheesecloth and SQUEEZE! Even more water will come out, we want it as dry as possible!
• Set the drained zucchini aside.
• In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, pepper, granulated garlic or Cajun seasoning, if using, breadcrumb and cheese together. Add all the vegetables and toss to combine, making sure to break up the zucchini and coat everything with flour mixture.
• Crack eggs into a small bowl, give a little whisk and pour over veggie mixture. Mix to THOROUGHLY combine.
• Heat a sauté pan (skillet) over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of oil (a teaspoon or two) and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
• Using a scoop (or a large spoon), drop mixture into the hot pan and flatten out with your fingers to form a patty.
• Cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side, turning down the heat if they begin to brown too quickly.
• Remove from pan to a cooling rack set inside of a sheet pan, or a paper towel lined baking sheet.
• Repeat until mixture is gone!

ROOT VEGETABLE PATTIES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except oil in a bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet then drop 4 mounds of vegetables using about 1/2 of the veggie mix into the pan and flatten each mound a bit. Cook patties 3 to 4 minutes on each side, drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining oil and vegetables to make 8 patties, total. Serve at room temperature.

ROOT CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (with some vegetable oil) and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the parsnips and milk to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and let stand until cool.
• Drain the cooled parsnips, discard the milk and transfer them to a blender. Add 2 of the eggs and blend until very smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the carrots, granulated sugar, salt, star anise, ginger, almond extract, white pepper, 3/4 cup vegetable oil and the remaining 2 eggs to the blender and blend on high speed until very smooth. Pour the carrot mixture into the pureed parsnips and stir well until combined.
• Sift together the 2 cups flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and, using a large rubber spatula, fold together until well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a cooling rack before removing the cake from the pan.
• For the icing: Cream the cream cheese and butter together well. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt and mix well, making sure there are very few lumps. Combine the carrot juice with the vanilla, bitter almond and anise extracts and mix in a little at a time. Stir in the grated carrot last. Put back in the fridge to firm up. Frost the cake with the icing.