Healthy Parsnip Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Yogurt Frosting
Parsnips for dessert? Sweet, nutty, spicy and herbaceous, parsnips are anything but bland. This recipe plays up a typical carrot cake flavour, adding extra zing from the zippy parsnips and ginger.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare 18 muffin tins with muffin liners or spray mini- tins with non-stick cooking spray (or a combination of the two).
Using the back of a wooden spoon, press pineapple in a fine sieve to squeeze out excess juice. Place pineapple in a small bowl and stir in parsnips, raisins, walnuts and coconut.
In another large bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Add brown sugar, yogurt, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla and beat on low speed in an electric mixer until well combined.
Add the parsnip mixture to the flour mixture and fold until well combined.
Fill the muffin tins no more than two-thirds full. Bake large cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes and mini-cupcakes for about 8 to 12 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to the fridge to completely chill before icing.
Cream Cheese Yogurt Frosting
While the cupcakes cool completely, put cream cheese and coconut oil in a medium-sized bowl and beat until very soft.
Add in sugar and continue to beat until well incorporated and smooth.
Add yogurt and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy and light.
To decorate, transfer icing to a piping bag, if desired, and pipe small florets onto each cupcake.
Top with toasted coconut and walnuts, for garnish. Store in the fridge until consumed.
Recipe Notes
PER SERVING: 262 calories, 4 g protein, 18 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 24 g carbs, 2 g fibre, 31 mg cholesterol, 105 mg sodium.