With the sweetness that comes with spring dug parsnips, I thought to vamp up the classic carrot cake! Cardamom brings out the earthiness and the pistachios and cream cheese frosting pair perfectly with the flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
• 2 cups grated parsnips
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ stick butter, room temperature
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• Chopped toasted pistachios, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and parsnip.
4. Stir in flour mixture.
5. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Divide batter among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
7. In a large bowl, with a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until combined. Spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
8. Top with chopped pistachios.