Sweet Potato Cake

Another scrummy veggie cake. So moist and utterly delicious. I finished this cake with a simple orange flavoured butter cream filling but a cream cheese one would be just as good, or even fresh whipped double cream.

Take 3 medium sweet potatoes, rub a little oil over them, pierce the skins then wrap in foil and bake for about an hour until soft. 180C.

Remove the foil, allowing them to cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash to a pulp. I finished off with a tad under 12 oz.

Now we can start the cake proper.
Grease and line the base of two 9” sponge tins, loose bottoms are best. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

In a bowl, place the sweet potato and mix with:

3 fl oz buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste [or extract, or from a pod]

In another bowl combine the dry ingredients:

8 oz plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cream:
6 oz softened butter
10 oz caster sugar
3 oz soft dark brown sugar
the zest of an orange

Cream the fat and sugars, then add:

2 large eggs

Then mix in the sweet potato pulp and finally the dry ingredients. Mix well. If feeling too stiff add another dash of buttermilk.

Divide the mixture between your two tins and bake for about 35-40 mins. I am a saddo and weigh the tins so they have equal amounts.

Allow to cool in the tins for a minute then transfer to racks. When cool make your filling of choice. You can also add a few finely chopped pecans. Dust the top with a little icing sugar. 

Or to be really decadent make double and decorate the top as well.

I adapted this recipe from the excellent United Cakes of America cookbook, that I bought in San Fransisco some years ago in the wonderful Williams Sonoma cookshop. Fab recipes with unusual ingredients. But I have changed and altered it somewhat, for our tastes.