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Sweet Potato Pound Cake for #BundtBakers

Sweet Potato Pound Cake | Magnolia Days

A cloud of flour and spice filled the air. Speeding through the whisking process caused what would soon be a major dust layer on the kitchen counter. It did not end there. Haste also brought a splatter of butter and sugar on top of the flour. It was then a conscious effort was made to slow down. It would have been too easy to forget an ingredient due to being in such a hurry. It would also have resulted in the waste of both time and food. Thankfully all went well and soon there was the reward of a sweet potato pound cake to enjoy.

How did things get so busy and fast-paced? At least it is a sign of good times and a full life of family, friends, and things to do. It is because of family that I was inspired to bake this particular cake. My mom had come for dinner and I asked how she enjoyed her birthday. My aunt had taken her out for a steak lunch. My mom went on to say how she has started getting a sweet potato instead of a regular potato with her steak. That got me thinking of sweet potato casserole with cinnamon pecan topping.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake | Magnolia Days

The March theme for BundtBakers is spice. Figuring out which one to use was easy. All I could think of after the conversation with my mom is cinnamon and sweet potatoes. It took an instant to put it all together. It’s funny how steak can lead to cake. One bit of conversation beings a chain of thought down a path of food and spice.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake | Magnolia Days

How is the sweet potato pound cake? It has the loveliest light orange color. The texture is that of a typical pound cake; dense and soft with a tight crumb. The sweet potato flavor is subtle as well as the flavors from the spices (cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg). The top has a crunch from pecans. The bottom, oh that wonderful pound cake bottom, is extra soft and moist. It sounds strange except when you remember that a bundt cake is served bottom up so what is normally the top of a pound cake winds up being the bottom.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake | Magnolia Days

What is your favorite spice? Do you bake cakes with it? I know a bunch of bundt baking bloggers who do. Take a peek at the cakes baked for BundtBakers March spice theme. Scroll down to find out more about the group and details on how to join in the fun.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake | Magnolia Days
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Sweet Potato Pound Cake

A recipe for a sweet potato pound cake. It is has a subtle sweet potato flavor, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and topped with pecans.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup cooked pureed sweet potatoes at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Sprinkle pecans in the pan.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
  3. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  5. Add sweet potatoes and vanilla and beat to combine.
  6. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternatively with buttermilk in two additions, mixing until just combined. Do not over mix.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread batter evenly in the pan.
  8. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick when inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out cake on to a wire rack and cool completely.

Recipe Notes

A recipe for a sweet potato pound cake. It is has a subtle sweet potato flavor, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and topped with pecans.

Recipe adapted from one in the Southern Living 1983 Annual Recipes cookbook (out of print).

What is Bundt Bakers? It’s a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Bundt Bakers Pinterest board for incredible bundt cake recipes and inspiration. Stacy of Food Lust People Love heads up our group and has a #BundtBakers page where you can find information and links to the recipes for each month.

Bundt Bakers

How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Deepti from Bakingyummies is hosting and she has chosen the theme as spices.

Would you like to join in the fun? If you are a food blogger, send an email to Stacy at [email protected] or ask to join our private Facebook group.

Recipe Rating




Sasha

Friday 28th of November 2014

Made this cake for Thanksgiving! A Hugh success! Everyone loved this cake.

Bill

Saturday 22nd of March 2014

Great post, Renee! I love sweet potatoes and what a brilliant idea to put them in a pound cake! I want to try this one. Love your photos, too!

Renee

Monday 24th of March 2014

Thanks Bill! And nice to see you are a fan of sweet potatoes. I really don't know what I would do without them. They have a big comfort factor to me.

Kathia Rodriguez

Friday 21st of March 2014

What a beautiful cake, is like having thanksgiving in a bundt but better :)

Renee

Monday 24th of March 2014

Yes! So please bookmark it or save the recipe to make for Thanksgiving.

Velva

Friday 21st of March 2014

I prefer a sweet potato bundt cake over a butter one..Love, love the flavor of sweet potato and spices.

Happy spring!

Velva

Renee

Monday 24th of March 2014

Thanks and Happy Spring to you Velva.

Felice/All That's Left Are The Crumbs

Thursday 20th of March 2014

I don't know why I haven't used sweet potato in a cake before, but you have certainly inspired me to do so. Your cake is such a beautiful color and I love the crunch of the pecans on top.

Renee

Monday 24th of March 2014

My next sweet potato baking adventure may be muffins. I really do like the texture and flavor it gives to cakes and quick breads.