Sweet Potato Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet potato cake may not be the first fall dessert you think of, but we certainly believe it should be. Yes, it's hard to beat a classic sweet potato pie or sweet potato casserole, but it's high time you tried a rich slice of this sweet potato cake. Slathered with a deliciously thick layer of cream cheese frosting, it's the perfect addition to your spread of Thanksgiving desserts.

Southerners love sweet potatoes any time of year, but they're especially favored in the fall, when they're harvested all over the region. Like their name implies, sweet potatoes are an excellent addition to fall cakes, thanks to their naturally sweet flavor and the moisture and tenderness they can add when incorporated properly.

Learn how to make classic sweet potato cake with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Cake

This recipe for sweet potato cake calls for many classic baking ingredients and a few fall baking favorites.

• Eggs, cake flour, milk, butter, and sugar: These make up the base of the cake batter. Cake flour, instead of all-purpose flour, provides the best texture when paired with the dense sweet potatoes. If you use all-purpose flour, expect that your cake will be far denser and more dry.
• Sweet potato: You can't have sweet potato cake without sweet potatoes. Any variety will work. One large sweet potato should produce enough mashed potato for this cake.
• Ginger and nutmeg: These spices add cozy, spicy notes.
• Vanilla: Lends its signature soft floral flavor.
• Molasses: To deepen the sweetness and accentuate the subtle caramel notes of the sweet potatoes. It also adds rich, smoky undertones.
• Salt: Enhance the flavor of the batter
• Baking powder and baking soda: Leaveners to help the cake rise.

When it comes to cream cheese frosting, the tangy richness of cream cheese makes for a subtly sweet topping that complements so many cakes, and this cake is no exception. The natural sweetness of the sweet potato-based cake layers is beautifully balanced by tangy, fluffy whipped cream cheese frosting. To make it, you'll need:

• Cream cheese: The rich, thick body of the frosting. Soften the cream cheese so it's easier to mix.
• Butter: Adds more richness, should also be softened so it mixes easily.
• Vanilla: Elevates the frosting's flavor.
• Salt: Just a pinch will balance the frosting's sweetness.
• Powdered sugar: This makes the frosting thick and spreadable.

Don't forget the pecans for garnishing the cake. While optional, they add a great nutty flavor and contrasting texture that takes this cake to the next level.

What Type of Sweet Potatoes Is Best for This Cake?

Any sweet potatoes you can find at the market are great for this cake, but try to stick to orange or red-skinned varieties. Purple or lighter skinned sweet potatoes tend to be drier varieties, and moisture is important in this recipe.

If you're at the farmers' market and aren't sure which variety is best, quiz the farmer. Their wisdom is invaluable when it comes to specialty varieties.

Do You Have To Bake Sweet Potatoes for This Recipe?

While you certainly can bake sweet potatoes for this cake, why go to the trouble? Simply prick them with a fork, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and pop them in the microwave for about 10 minutes, turning them halfway through with tongs—they'll be super hot!

And although all of this talk about sweet potato deliciousness might have you wanting to rush, take a break and give those sweet potatoes time to cool. You don't want to have to deal with burned fingertips when you have a lot more baking to do.

Can You Use Canned Sweet Potato Puree for Sweet Potato Cake?

If canned sweet potato puree is available at your local grocery store, feel free to use it. Be sure to avoid canned yams, or any product that has added sugar or spices, which will impact the flavor and texture of the cake. When in doubt, opt for real sweet potatoes.

How To Make Sweet Potato Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat cake pans with cooking spray.
• Step 2. Prepare the Cake Layers: Pierce potato with a fork, and microwave as directed until tender. Cool slightly, then peel and mash.
• Step 3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ginger, and nutmeg. Separately, whisk together milk, molasses, vanilla, and sweet potato.
• Step 4. Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix just until combined.
• Step 5. Beat in one-third of flour mixture on low. Add half the milk mixture; blend until smooth. Repeat until all has been added.
• Step 6. Divide between pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in cake centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack; cool completely.
• Step 7. Prepare the Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt. Gradually add 1/2 cup powdered sugar on low, then remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth. Beat until light and fluffy.
• Step 6. Place 1 cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Cover with frosting; top with remaining layer, then frost top and sides of cake. Garnish with pecans, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

What's the Secret to Creamy Frosting?

Making cream cheese frosting is super simple, but there is one very important step to remember when making it: It's extremely helpful to let the cream cheese and butter soften before whipping up the frosting.

If the cream cheese or butter are too cold, the powdered sugar will have a tough time getting incorporated, resulting in a pebbly frosting instead of a smooth one. Sifting the powdered sugar first helps, but the quickest and easiest way to smooth cream cheese frosting is starting with soft butter and cream cheese.

If you're in a rush, fight the urge to use the microwave for softening—it's far too easy to go too far and melt the butter and cream cheese into a messy puddle. Instead, beat the butter and cream cheese with a mixer for a few minutes until they heat up slightly and start to soften.

Can You Make This Cake Ahead of Time?

Yes! The cake lakers can be made up to two days ahead, cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerated. They can also be frozen for up to two months.

The frosting can be made up to four days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before using for an easy time frosting the cake.

The entire cake can be assembled a day ahead, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Give it an hour or so at room temperature before slicing and serving.

How Do You Decorate Sweet Potato Cake?

We opted for a simple skirt of chopped pecans, which are so easy to gently press around the sides of the cake. If you want to get a little fancy, you can arrange some pecan halves around the top of the cake, or even buy some candied pecans, chop them, and sprinkle them over the top for more flavor.

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.