Spiced parsnip & maple muffins

Got a glut of parsnips? Do something different with this familiar veg box favourite and rustle up some spiced parsnip and maple muffins for the cake tin

Prep:15 mins
Cook:24 mins
plus cooling

Serves 12
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 313
fat 18g
saturates 5g
carbs 34g
sugars 0g
fibre 2g
protein 4g
salt 0.4g

Ingredients

200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve (optional)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
125g light brown soft sugar
1 parsnip (around 200g), peeled and grated
100g pecans, chopped, plus 10-12 whole pecans to serve (optional)
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 eggs
125ml vegetable oil
50g icing sugar
50g softened butter
100g soft cheese
1 tbsp maple syrup, plus extra for drizzling (optional)

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Tip in the sugar and rub any lumps between your fingers to break them up.
Mix in the grated parsnip and chopped pecans, ensuring that everything is fully combined. Pour the maple syrup into a jug and mix in the eggs and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix with a wooden spoon until nearly combined with a few specks of flour remaining. Spoon about 2 tbsp of the batter into each case, so they’re about three-quarters full. Bake for 22-24 mins until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Sift the sugar into a bowl and beat in the butter using an electric whisk. Fold in the soft cheese and maple syrup. If the frosting is too loose, whisk for a few minutes more or chill until it has stiffened up again.
Spoon or pipe the frosting over the cooled muffins, then drizzle over some maple syrup, dust with cinnamon and decorate each one with a whole pecan, if you like.