Soul Food Sweet Potato Pound Cake Recipes

SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Generously butter a 10-cup tube or bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
• Set aside.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
• Add the sugar gradually, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the sweet potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Reduce the speed to low or switch to a wooden spoon and gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture in 3 additions, beating well after each addition.
• The batter should be stiff.
• Add the vanilla, pecans and, if desired, the coconut.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the cake tests done when a wire cake tester is inserted in the middle and comes out clean, 50 to 65 minutes.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
• Invert the cake onto a plate and remove.
• Note: To cook sweet potatoes, peel and quarter potatoes, add to boiling water and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 20 minutes, depending on size- Drain and mash.

SWEET POTATO POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. (If your pan is nonstick, you can get away with just some cooking spray; no need to flour.).
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk well. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sweet potatoes, and mix until the batter is combined. (The batter may look terrible at this point: curdled, weird, terrible. Don't worry.).
• With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture. Beat to just incorporate. Then add half of the milk mixture, and continue to beat on low until well blended. Add the remaining flour, followed by the remaining milk, and beat on low until the batter is thick and smooth.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the cake, and then carefully invert it onto the rack.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze, if using. In a medium saucepan, combine the buttermilk, sugar, butter, cornstarch, and baking soda. Place it over medium heat, and bring it just to a gentle boil.
• Immediately remove it from the heat, stir well, and set it aside to cool to room temperature. Add the vanilla, and stir well.
• Set the wire rack - with the cake atop it - over a rimmed sheet pan. Spoon the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve over the warm cake. (I recommend using a sieve because my batch of glaze had some little gelatinous bits of clumped cornstarch in it.).
• Cool completely before serving.

SWEET POTATO & ORANGE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then grease & flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt & nutmeg, then add this flour mixture to the butter mixture, a cup at a time, & alternating the flour mixture additions with a cup of sweet potato additions. BEFORE COMPLETELY MIXED, add the tablespoon of orange zest, & mix just until combined in a stiff batter.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan & bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven & cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from the pan & placing the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
• FOR THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of orange zest & enough juice to achieve an acceptable consistency.
• Drizzle over the cooled cake.