Harvest Cake With Cider-cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• cooking spray (with flour or butter, for the pan)
• 2 large carrots, grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large parsnip, grated (1 cup)
• 1 medium zucchini, cored and grated (1 1/4 cups)
• 1 tart apple, grated (1 cup)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1/4 cup mashed bananas or 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces low-fat cream cheese or 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees. spray or butter a 9â€? x 9â€? square pan, line with wax paper, and spray or butter the paper. set aside.
• 2 whisk the flours, soda, salt, and spices together in a medium-sized bowl. in a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars until very well blended. add the vanilla, buttermilk, and applesauce and whisk until completely combined. using a spoon, stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the grated vegetables and fruit, stirring until completely coated with batter.
• 3 spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. bake on the middle rack for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake tests clean with a wooden toothpick. let cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. remove paper, and invert again onto a serving plate. cool at least 1 hour more.
• 4 meanwhile, make the frosting: in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. with the machine on low, add the sugar, a little at a time, then the cider and cinnamon. scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase speed to high, and whip for 2 minutes.
• 5 spread half the frosting on the cake and reserve the other half for another use, or split the cake in half horizontally, fill the center with a thin layer of frosting, then frost the tops and sides of the cake.