Sweet Potato Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Icing
This delicious treat just might become your new go-to coffee cake to serve in the morning or when company arrives.
Photo by Iulia Nedrygailova
SERVES 12–16
Cake
2 cups sweet potatoes, baked and pureed (approximately 4 medium potatoes)
Vegetable spray
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1½ cup chopped nuts
Caramel Icing (makes approximately 1 cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons milk
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped nuts
Cake: Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray sweet potatoes lightly with vegetable spray. Bake until soft, approximately 50–60 minutes, depending on size. Let cool to touch. Peel and puree by hand or in a food processor. Measure 2 cups.
Lower oven temperature to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt or angel food cake pan with baking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter with sugars and beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and sweet potatoes and blend well. In another medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Reduce mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture, one cup at a time, alternating with buttermilk. Finally, add chopped nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; carefully move from pan to a cake rack to cool completely.
Icing: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add milk and brown sugar and boil for one minute. Watch very carefully—do not turn your back on boiling milk! Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup confectioner’s sugar. Cool slightly and stir in vanilla and remaining confectioner’s sugar. If too thick, add more milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency. Pour evenly over cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Let icing harden before serving.
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