Ahh, sweet potato cake, what’s not to love. I love the humble sweet potato as you can see by the related recipes. But rarely is it used in sweet treats or desserts and this seems a real shame.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of fibre as fully of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, most of the B vitamins and vitamin C. And they’re packed full of beta-carotene.

And this cake is delicious. It’s rich and moist with the spices giving it a depth of flavour.

Give it a try and let me know how you get on.

 

Sweet Potato Cake

2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes (one of these would count as one of your 5 a day!)
2 cups plain flour
1 ¾ tsps baking powder
½ tsp bicarb of soda
½ tsp table salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
Two pinches ground cloves
½ cup or 115 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

 

• Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5
• Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a knife. Rest on baking sheet. Roast for 45 mins to an hour, turning once or twice, until soft. Remove from over and let cool.
• Once the sweet potatoes are cool, peel. Mash the pulp with a potato masher until smooth. You’ll need 1 ½ packed cups on the mash. (any left over, you can fry with a little butter and eat)
• In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, salt and spices together.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and the eggs and mix until just combined. Mix in the sweet potato puree and then stir in the dry ingredients until mixed.
• Line the base and sides of a deep, 18cm cake tin with nonstick baking paper.
• Spread the batter in the pan and then bake for 40 minutes or so. You can test with a knife inserted into the centre until it comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Then let the cake rest on a cooling rack and let cool completely.

 

Now comes the really tasty part…

 

Cream Cheese Icing

30g or so of softened butter

60g cream cheese

1 ¼ cup icing sugar

¼ tsp vanilla extract

• Beat the butter and cream cheese together
• Then beat in the icing sugar and vanilla extract
• Ice the cake

 

The finished product

 

 

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen