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SWEET POTATO POUND CAKE

Source of Recipe

Willie Crawford's Soul Food Recipes Newsletter


List of Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes (2 cups cooked)
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup packed light-brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange zest


Recipe

For sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400�F. Pierce each potato
twice with a paring knife and place the potatoes on a foil-lined
baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the centers are
soft. (Check with a paring knife or fork.) Carefully slice the
potatoes in half to let off steam. When they are cool enough to
handle, scoop out 2 cups of flesh and place it in a food
processor. Add the buttermilk and process until smooth.

Refrigerate to cool. (Refrigerate any unused potato flesh for
another use.)

Adjust your oven rack to one setting below the center position,
with no racks above it. Preheat oven to 350.
Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts evenly around bottom of
pan, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,
cinnamon, and nutmeg.Using an electric mixer (preferably a large stand model) onmedium, cream the butter, then gradually beat in the sugar and
remaining 1 cup of brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Add the vanilla and orange zest and beat to blend. Add the sweet potato mixture and beat on low until evenly blended. Add flour mixture, about a third at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 60
to 70 minutes, until a thin wooden skewer inserted into the
center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert
the cake onto a large platter. Cool for at least 30 minutes more
before slicing.

Sweet cakes and breads sometimes develop a dark top crust. This
browning is rarely more than a fraction of an inch deep, so it is
unlikely to affect the flavor. If the color bothers you, dust the
top with confectioners¡¦ sugar.