Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Salted Caramel Icing

If you enjoy a moist, tender pound cake that bursts with warm, fabulous flavor, this Sweet Potato Pound Cake has your name written all over it! It's perfect for any Fall get-together and would make a lovely Thanksgiving or holiday dessert. The fact that it comes together quickly with just one bowl and no need to pull out a mixer is... well, I could say, "It's the icing on the cake", but THIS Salted Caramel Icing... that's another delicious story!

Double the deliciousness

This Sweet Potato Pound cake has two finishing touches. There's a simple two-ingredient glaze that's brushed on the cake while it's still warm. This glaze seals in the moisture and gives the exterior of the cake a little shine and crunch. You can stop right there if you prefer and have a fabulous dessert.

HOWEVER, if you want to be a little decadent, the Salted Caramel Icing pairs beautifully with this moist, tender cake. It's drizzled on after the cake cools and will be sure to bring lots of ooohs and aaahs!

Like the cake, the icing comes together quickly with just one bowl and a whisk. Again, a short list of ingredients: butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla. It's made in the microwave, but feel free to use a saucepan on the stovetop if you prefer.

Sweet potatoes in a cake?

If you've never experienced baked goods with sweet potatoes, you've been missing out on something wonderful. Most people are familiar with pumpkin used in baked goods, such as pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread, but sweet potato? Not so much unless you are from the Southern United States. Mashed sweet potatoes work similarly, adding a burst of warm flavor and creating a moist crumb.

Plus, sweet potatoes are a super food, high in nutrients, so they make cakes, pies and other baked goods just a little more legal, the perfect way to sneak veggies into dessert!

Mashed sweet potatoes

I tried several techniques for preparing the sweet potatoes for this Sweet Potato Pound Cake. They need to be mashed or pureed before adding to the batter. I wanted something easy and quick but also a method that would have great results. I tried microwaving the sweet potatoes with the skins on, peeling and dicing the sweet potatoes, then steaming them in the microwave. I also purchased a can of sweet potatoes and drained and rinsed them before mashing.
The canned sweet potato technique was the easiest, but I didn't care for the results. The same thing was true with the steaming method. In the end, I decided to go with the microwaved whole sweet potatoes. After they cool a bit, you simply cut them in half and scoop out the flesh before mashing. Easy and quick!
I did find that rubbing them with a bit of olive oil before microwaving keeps the skin and exterior flesh from drying out.

I promise you won't be sorry for taking the time to make this Sweet Potato Pound Cake.

However... take heed: your family and friends will beg you to make it again and again (like these two)!

Cafe tips for making this Sweet Potato Pound Cake

• You will need a Bundt pan for this recipe. A 10-cup or a 15-cup pan will both work. I used my 15-cup Nordic Ware Bundt pan for a classic-looking cake. I also love this 10-cup Heritage Bundt Pan for a uniquely shaped cake.
• It's important that you grease your Bundt pan well, getting into all the little nooks and crannies. I like to spray my pan generously with baking spray then use a small piece of paper towel to rub it around and make sure every little part is coated. Then I lightly spray the whole thing one more time.
• This recipe calls for 1½ cups of mashed sweet potatoes for this recipes. I start out with 16-18 ounces (454g) of raw sweet potatoes (3-4 medium) for this recipe.
• The sweet potatoes can be cooked in the microwave and mashed a few hours or even a day in advance. Store the mashed potatoes in the fridge and allow them to come back to room temperature before you make the cake.
• Just a note about baking spray. It's different than non-stick cooking spray in that, instead of just oil, it's a combination of shortening and flour which is perfect for greasing pans when baking. I like Baker's Joy but other baking sprays also work well. Baking spray can be found in larger grocery stores in the same area as the cooking oils and cooking spray.
• The easiest and quickest way to make this cake recipe is with a whisk. Whisks are reasonably priced and are super useful kitchen tools. I use a medium-sized whisk for this Sweet Potato Pound Cake recipe.
• The instructions read to bake this cake for 40-50 minutes. Please note that every oven is different the the time may vary.
• The best way to determine if this cake is done? You can use the classic toothpick trick - insert a toothpick or thin skewer into the center of the cake and pull it out. It will come out clean or might have a few small crumbs when the cake is done. The BEST way to ensure the cake is done is to use an instant thermometer. It will read 200-210˚F ((94-99˚C) when perfectly done.

Thought for the day:

Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing. 
Isaiah 40:26

What we're listening to for inspiration:

The Love of God

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Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

Chris Scheuer

This one-bowl, no-mixer Sweet Potato Pound Cake is moist, tender and incredibly delicious! The sweet. buttery Salted Caramel Icing is the crème de la crème!

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 16 servings

Calories 334

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

.5x1x2x

For the cake batter:

• 1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes, see the post above
• 1 cup neutral flavored oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed (I use dark brown sugar but light brown will also work)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, I use Morton
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

For the glaze:

• ¼ cup water
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the salted caramel glaze:, optional
• ¼ cup butter, I use salted
• ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed (I use dark brown sugar but light brown will also work)
• ¼ cup half and half or cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ¾ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

 

For the prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Spray a 10 or 12 cup Bundt pan with non stick baking spray. Rub with a small piece of paper towel to make sure all of the nooks and crannies are coated. Spray again lightly. Set aside.
3. Place a piece of parchment paper or foil on a work surface. Position a cooling rack on top.

For the cake batter:

1. Combine the oil and both sugars in a large mixing bowl and whisk vigorously. Add the sweet potato mixture and whisk again.At this point the mixture will look a little lumpy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking vigorously for 20 seconds after each addition.
3. Add the baking soda, salt, spices and vanilla and almond extracts whisk until combined.
4. Lastly, add the flour. Switch to a silicon spatula or wooded spoon now and stir, just until all the flour is incorporated. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. The BEST way to determine doneness is with an instant thermometer. It will read 200-210˚F ((94-99˚C) when the cake is perfectly done. You want it to be done but don't over bake!
6. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then flip out onto the prepared cooling rack.

For the glaze:

1. While the cake is cooling in the pan, prepare the glaze.
2. Combine the water and powdered sugar in a medium size cup and stir with a fork or small whisk until smooth. (If the mixture has some stubborn lumps, you can pop it int the microwave for 20-30 seconds then stir again.)
3. After the cake is flipped out onto the cooling rack, slowly brush the glaze all over with the glaze. Some of it will drip onto the surface but keep brushing until you've used up all the glaze.
4. For the salted caramel icing (optional):

After the cake is completely cool, prepare the icing.

1. Combine the butter, brow sugar and half and half (or cream) in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl.
2. Cook on high power for 2 minutes then remove from the microwave and whisk vigorously until combined.
3. Return the mixture to the microwave and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until bubbly and smooth.
4. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and almond extracts and whisk, whisk, whisk unti smooth and lump free.
5. Slowly, pour the icing over the cake, turning the cake as you go. Check out this video to demonstrate the best way to icing a Bundt cake.

Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.

If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

A few notes about the sweet potatoes.

I start out with a pound of sweet potatoes to yield the 1½ cups of mashed sweet potatoes needed for the cake. That’s 3-4 medium-size sweet potatoes. I like to look for sweet potatoes that are all around the same size so they cook more eveninly in the microwave.

For the sweet potato mash:
2. Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes tthem poke each one all over with a fork. Drizzle a small amount of oil in your hands and rub the sweet potatoes all over to coat. (I use olive oil but any type of oil will work.)
3. Place the sweet potatoes on several layers of paper toweling with their ends touching in the center. Cook on high power for 5 minutes. Flip the potatoes to the other side with the opposite end now facing the center. Cook for another 3-7 minutes until they are very soft when poked with a small, sharp knife or a fork. (My microwave is 900 watts and takes about 9 minutes for medium size sweet potatoes. Times can vary, depending on the size of your sweet potatoes and the wattage of your microwave.)
4. Using an oven mitt, remove the sweet potatoes from the microwave to cool for a few minutes then cut them in half. Give each half a little squeze then scoop out the flesh onto a large plate or shallow bowl.
5. Finely mash with a fork or a potatoe masher. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 227mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 51IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American