Boozy Winter Vegetable Cake

Boozy Winter Vegetable Cake

Serves 10-12.

3 sticks butter
1/2 lb. Red Dog parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 – 1/2 lb. Red Dog radicchio, cored and shredded
2 1/2 cups stone-ground flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup rum or bourbon
4 large eggs
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Heat the oven to 350F.

Put the butter into a large skillet and turn the heat to high. Brown the butter, making sure not to burn it. As soon as it’s browned, pull it off the heat and pour into a bowl to rest.

Butter and flour a 15-cup bundt pan or a 10×5 loaf pan.

Put parsnips through a food processor with a regular blade, or grate them. Mix with shredded radicchio and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. In another larger bowl, whisk the sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, rum or bourbon, and eggs until pale and frothy. Emulsify the egg mixture with the brown butter by gradually adding the butter to the eggs while constantly whisking. When this looks velvety and smooth, stir in the flour mixture just until combined and no lumps remain. Add the walnuts and grated vegetable mixture. Stir to combine.

Scoop batter into the prepared pan and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time.

Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Invert the pan to release the cake and let cool completely.

Especially tasty when served with a smudge of sweetened cream cheese, or mascarpone whipped with a little honey.