Description

This Sweet Potato Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert combining spiced sweet potatoes with a fluffy marshmallow frosting. Perfectly tender and lightly spiced, the cake is layered and topped with a creamy marshmallow buttercream and garnished with chopped toasted pecans for added texture and flavor. An ideal fall or holiday treat that brings a delightful twist to classic cake recipes.

Ingredients

Scale

For cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup buttermilk

For frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 (7-oz.) container marshmallow fluff (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups powdered sugar
Chopped toasted pecans, for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans thoroughly and line the bottoms with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cakes after baking.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, ground ginger, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined to create a pleasantly spiced dry mixture.
Cream butter and sugars: In another large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color.
Add eggs, vanilla, and sweet potatoes: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully integrated before adding the next. Then mix in the pure vanilla extract and mashed sweet potatoes until just combined, avoiding overmixing to keep a tender crumb.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture along with half of the buttermilk. Beat on low speed just until combined. Repeat this with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing until the batter is smooth and just incorporated.
Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on a cooling rack while preparing the frosting.
Make marshmallow frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed with a hand mixer until smooth. Add marshmallow fluff, kosher salt, and ½ cup of powdered sugar; beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl sides, then add the remaining powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread a generous amount of marshmallow frosting on top. Place the second cake layer over it, frost the top evenly, then sprinkle chopped toasted pecans around the outer edge of the top cake for garnish and a delightful crunch.

Notes

Mashed sweet potatoes can be prepared ahead of time by baking or boiling and then mashing until smooth.
Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for better creaming results.
Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender.
To toast pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant.
Store the cake in the refrigerator if not serving immediately to keep the frosting stable.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 420
Sugar: 35g
Sodium: 350mg
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 50g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 80mg