Interesting Spice Cake

I found this recipe in a magazine, and thought I'd share:

Spice Cake with Caramel Icing
1 pound 1 inch thick slices peeled parsnips
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
5 T. Butter, melted
1 t. Vanilla
1/2 C. Apple Juice
3 cups flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
3/4 C. lowfat milk
Cooking Spray
Icing:
1 C, packed dark brown sugar
1/2 C. Lowfat Milk
2 T. Butter
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 C. Sifted powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4C. Chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350.
Place the parsnip in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over medium heat 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place the parsnip, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. With the processor on, add applejuice through the food chute and process until well combined. Pour this mixture in a large bowl. Combine remaining dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour batter into 2 9 inch cake pans that have been coated with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

To prepare icing:
Combine brown sugar, milk, butter and salt in medium saucepan. Bring to a booil over meduium high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thick, (about 5 minutes) stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat with a mixer at medium speed until icing is smooth and only slightly warm (Icing will continue to thicken as it cools)
Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Working quickly, spread the layer with half of the icing, and top with the remaining layer. Spread the remaining icing over the top layer and sprinkle with pecans. Cool to room temperature. Store cake loosely covered in the fridge.

Makes 18 servings, 309 calories per with 6 grams of fat.