Infusing cakes with vegetables works because vegetables can take on a slightly sweet character when cooked, which pairs well with the warm, nutty flavors used in baking.

Adding vegetables can also help keep your cake moist. One such vegetable is the humble parsnip, which shares a similar appearance and texture to its cousin, the carrot.

Carrots have more of a one-dimensional sweetness when cooked, while parsnips have an almost spicy, aniseed-forward flavor in addition to their sweetness.

They were used as a sweetener in the Middle Ages (this was a sort of honey, made from the boiled liquid of parsnips) and featured in jams and fritters sprinkled with sugar.

Today most parsnip cakes simply call for the vegetable to be grated into the cake batter, while others require it to be chopped, roasted, and pureed.

Parsnip cakes commonly include brown sugar, nuts, spices, and orange zest and are paired with cream cheese or mascarpone icing.