• The Cake Slice Bakers – Sweet Potato Cake

  Filed under dessert - cakes/cupcakes, The Cake Slice Bakers
  Nov 20
  OK, so when I first joined The Cake Slice Bakers, I thought to myself – this will be a great opportunity to practice making a cake “pretty”. I’m pretty confident with my ability to make a cake, but how it looks is a whole new story.

  Well, this is my second cake, and the second time I’ve been rushed at the end, finishing just in time to take it to an event where I don’t really have the time or the space to photograph it. I guess it’s because there are only 2 of us, and a whole cake is way too much for 2 people. So I look for other opportunities, where there will be more people, but then I’m a bad time manager. What to do!!

  So next month, although I know it will be hard to find time again with Christmas coming and all, but I am vowing to spend a little extra time. Especially since the baby will be coming in January, and who knows what kind of time I will have after that!

  This month’s cake was a Sweet Potato Cake. It was the cake that I voted for, as I was really curious to see what the cake would taste like. As expected, though, it didn’t really taste like sweet potatoes. It tasted more like a spice cake, but I’m betting the sweet potato helped in keeping it moist. And my cake is not very orange because I used a white sweet potato. For the frosting, you make a cream cheese frosting, adding chocolate to part, and orange to the other part. I didn’t measure the orange juice concentrate – and I should have known better – so my orange cream cheese frosting turned out a bit runnier than it should have been. I thought it would be ok, but it made the layers hard to keep straight while frosting the outside of the cake – they were slipping all over the place! My favorite part of the cake was chocolate cream cheese frosting. I don’t think I’ve ever had that before, but I will be making it again!!
  Overall, it was a good cake. Not spectacular, but good. I can’t wait to see what next month brings!!

  Sweet Potato Cake
  from Sky High

  Cake:
  2 medium or 1 large sweet potato (12 ounces)
  3 cups of cake flour**
  3 teaspoons of baking powder
  1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
  3/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  1/4 teaspoon of cloves
  5 eggs, separated
  2 and 1/4 cups of sugar
  1 stick plus 2 tablespoons of butter, at room temperature
  1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
  1 and 1/4 cups of milk

  (**The recipe calls for cake flour and if you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute 3/4 cup (105 grams) all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch.)

  (*If fresh sweet potato is not available where you live you may use canned sweet potato, yams, and pumpkin puree)

  Makes a 9-inch triple layer cake, serves 16-20 people

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Prick the sweet potatoes in 2-3 places, place on a small baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are very soft. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

  2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F degrees. Butter the bottoms and the sides of the pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper also.

  3. When the sweet potatoes are cool peel off the skin and remove any dark spots. Cut the potatoes into chunks and puree in a food processors. Puree until smooth. Measure out one cup of potato puree and set aside.

  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Set aside.

  5. In the bowl of electric mixer add the egg whites and attach whip attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are frothy. raise the speed to high and gradually beat in 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue to beat until the egg whites are moderately stiff.

  6. In another large bowl with the paddle attachment, combine the sweet potato, butter, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl after each egg yolk is added. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk in alternately in 2-3 additions. making sure to begin and end with the dry ingredients.

  7. With a large spatula, fold in one fourth of the egg whites into the batter to lighten. Then fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain. Making sure to not over mix or this will deflate the batter. Divide the batter among of the three pans.

  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then turn out the cake layers onto a wire rack and cool completely at least 1 hour.

  9. To assemble the cake, place one layer flat side up on to a cake stand. With a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip and filled with chocolate cream cheese icing, pipe border around the edge of the cake. Fill the center with the orange cream filling smoothing it to the edge of the border. Place the second layer on top and repeat the process.Place the third layer on top and use all the chocolate cream cheese frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

  Chocolate Cream Frosting:
  makes 3 cups
  10 ounces cream cheese*** at room temperature
  1 stick of butter at room temperature
  16 ounces of powdered sugar; sifted
  1 and 1/2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate melted and slightly cooled

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar to cream cheese butter mixture. Making sure to scrape down the sides the sides of the bowl. Then beat until light fluffy 2-3 minutes.

  2. Measure out 1 cup of frosting and set aside.

  3. Add the melted chocolate to the remaining icing in the bowl and beat until well combined.

  Orange Cream Filling:
  1 cup of reserved cream cheese icing from above.
  2 tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
  1/4 teaspoon of orange extract

  1. Stir together all the ingredients until well mixed.

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  41 Comments

41 Responses to “The Cake Slice Bakers – Sweet Potato Cake”

1. 

   Darius T. Williams said on November 20th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

   I personally think this is ingenious – but I am fan to all things sweet potato…so I would feel that way – lol.

   -DTW
   http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

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2. 

   Moogie said on November 20th, 2008 at 2:14 pm

   i agree with Darius, sweet potato what’s not to love. Except maybe the swirly mounds of chocolate frosing.

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3. 

   Maria said on November 20th, 2008 at 2:17 pm

   I love sweet potatoes, never had them in a cake though. I am sure it is good!! Your cake looks wonderful!!

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4. 

   Mary said on November 20th, 2008 at 2:35 pm

   I’ve never had a sweet potato cake, but yours looks tasty. The orange and chocolate frosting sounds great too!
   The Cake Slice Bakers sounds pretty cool and I’m going to have to check it out too. And I really understand the struggle about making a cake for 2 people…

   January is a great month to be born.

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5. 

   RecipeGirl said on November 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm

   Cake slice bakers? This is the first time I’ve heard of this group. I’d have a tough time figuring out what to do with the cake… too much for a family of three!

   Sweet potato does sound like a nice idea for a cake though!

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6. 

   ~~louise~~ said on November 20th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

   Your Sweet Potato Cake looks just fine to me. I’ve tried zucchini cake but never sweet potato cake. Quite interesting. Too bad I don’t bake.

   May I have a taste please?

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7. 

   Jo said on November 20th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

   Your cake looks lovely and sweet potato was an unusual twist to this cake. But it really tasted great!

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8. 

   kat said on November 20th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

   I love the idea of sweet potato in a cake, I've been using them in a lot of baking recently.
   I had the same problem as you with baking for only two so I bought 4.5-inch cake pans & now make little layer cakes which are perfect for two.

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9. 

   Indigo said on November 20th, 2008 at 3:40 pm

   I’ve heard so much about this cake book that I’m now desperate for it! Looks amazing…

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10. 

    Happy cook said on November 20th, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    This cazke looks so beautiful.
    I sometimes think i should join up one these groups, but then i am a coward saying to myself, what if it is a realy difficult recipe and alsi what if i don’t get the time

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11. 

    Paula said on November 20th, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    I’ve never heard of sweet potato cake before! To me the best part of this is the orange cream filling; I know I’d be licking the bowl on that one! Let me know if you figure out the secret to time management; it eludes me!

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12. 

    Rosa's Yummy Yums said on November 20th, 2008 at 4:01 pm

    An interesting cake! It looks fantastic! May I have a slice, please ;-P!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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13. 

    The Food Librarian said on November 20th, 2008 at 4:19 pm

    Your cake turned out fantastic! But it is a lot of cake for two people – thank goodness for my co-workers! I’m looking forward to next month’s cake!

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14. 

    Tasty Trends said on November 20th, 2008 at 4:20 pm

    potato cake sounds very interesting! i have never heard of that!

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15. 

    Rosie said on November 20th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

    Your cake looks wonderful Deb! Well done

    My family thought this cake tasted much like carrot cake.

    Rosie x

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16. 

    Ingrid said on November 20th, 2008 at 4:53 pm

    I’d gladly take a slice or two off your hands. YUM!
    ~ingrid

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17. 

    Fearless Kitchen said on November 20th, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    This is a really interesting idea. I don’t know that I’d ever actually try it – I dislike both sweet potatoes and spice/carrot cakes – but it’s interesting. Sweet potatoes are another of those foods we’re supposed to be eating more of, a nutritional powerhouse, and this looks like a great way to get more of it into your diet.

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18. 

    Katie said on November 20th, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    Your cake looks wonderful. I love the orange spinkels you added on top, it really makes it look autumnal.

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19. 

    TeaLady said on November 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    It does look nice and moist. I couldn’t taste the tater either, but hubby said he could. Yours looks tasty.

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20. 

    steph- whisk/spoon said on November 20th, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    i know it’s sometimes so hard to find a few hours to bake–i made mine yesterday in a rush. yours looks great, and i love the orange sprinkles!

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21. 

    Bunny said on November 20th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    I think you did a great job with the cake, I have a problem to with finding the time to spend decorating! You did a fantastic job!

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22. 

    Mary said on November 20th, 2008 at 10:44 pm

    Have you thought about doing your cakes in two stages. Bake/freeze then Defrost/ice. Might make it easier to handle the time.

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23. 

    Debbie said on November 20th, 2008 at 11:07 pm

    Sweet potatoes are so good! Great looking cake….something different!

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24. 

    Jennifer said on November 21st, 2008 at 1:45 am

    Your cake looks scrumptious! I had the same problem with the orange filling, my cake looked like the leaning tower of Pisa! (Eventually it ended up straight.) Hands down, the best part of this cake was the frosting!!!

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25. 

    Megan said on November 21st, 2008 at 3:16 am

    I have learned to cut recipes down – because otherwise you are left staring at a huge cake -

    You did a great job – the decorating is perfect!

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26. 

    Sandy said on November 21st, 2008 at 3:38 am

    Oh so yummy! I’ve made a sweet potato cheesecake that I love! ♥

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27. 

    Megan said on November 21st, 2008 at 5:45 am

    I have never tried chocolate cream cheese frosting either, but I think I will give it a try!

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28. 

    Caroline said on November 21st, 2008 at 6:27 am

    This is my first to have sweet potato cake, too! Your cake looks good, the sprinkles are a nice touch!

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29. 

    Kim said on November 21st, 2008 at 12:44 pm

    It looks spectacular, I am drooling over it! Can’t wait to see what comes next month.

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30. 

    April said on November 21st, 2008 at 1:02 pm

    I am not a fan of spice cake, but love,love, love sweet potatoes. And I bet he chocolate cream cheese was to die for!

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31. 

    Grace said on November 21st, 2008 at 1:34 pm

    i’m sorry to say that my favorite part of the cake was the icing, and didn’t even use the cocoa cream cheese. i substituted with cinnamon cream cheese. yum.
    lovely display, though.

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32. 

    Linda said on November 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    it’s definitely a LOT of cake (it’s just the two of us at my house too). Really fantastic looking cake…and i love the orange jimmies!

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33. 

    Ruth E said on November 21st, 2008 at 9:40 pm

    This cake looks fantastic! You’ve done a great job at making it pretty – something I struggle with too.

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34. 

    Maria said on November 21st, 2008 at 10:36 pm

    Gorgeous looking cake! I didn’t have time to do the bake this month and now I’m gutted cos the cake looks so delish.

    Maria
    x

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35. 

    Elle said on November 22nd, 2008 at 4:45 am

    I think your cake looks beautiful! Your sponge has such a great texture and that chocolate icing looks delish.

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36. 

    noble pig said on November 22nd, 2008 at 6:09 am

    Well, I think this cake is cool and unique. Cakes are so hard to make pretty but hey it’s really all about how they taste.

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37. 

    Jennifer Hamilton said on November 22nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    Beautiful cake! Being in the South it would be a grand addition to any event!

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38. 

    SugarPunk said on November 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 am

    I had the same problem with the orange frosting – so I don’t think it was you! Mine was only stable after adding another cup of powdered sugar and refrigerating between adding layers. Otherwise it would all have smooshed out completely.

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39. 

    Gigi said on November 23rd, 2008 at 2:19 am

    Great cake Deb! I love the color of the white sweet potato.

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40. 

    Psychgrad said on November 23rd, 2008 at 4:56 pm

    I’ve seen a couple of blogs making this cake. I would like to try sweet potato in recipes, but may hold off until a shining endorsement.

    I find it difficult to get a really smooth layer of icing. With some icing recipes, it’s easy to wait for it to harden a bit and then smooth out with parchment paper and a offset spatula. But other recipes, the icing doesn’t harden at all, so it’s not feasible. With those icings, I guess you just have to come to a point of saying, “ok – it’s good enough”.

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41. 

    glamah16 said on November 24th, 2008 at 2:17 am

    It sounds so interesting with the sweet potato.Sorry it didnt have more of wow factor. But it looks excellent.

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