Sweet Potato Pound Cake

All the usual suspects are present in this sweet potato pound cake: granulated sugar, butter, all-purpose flour, and leavening. But in addition to mashed sweet potato, cream cheese is added to lend a tangy richness to the cake, along with a hint of fall spice—just enough to enhance the mild flavor of the sweet potato.

After all, sweet potato can do more than serve as a filling to classic sweet potato casserole or sweet potato pie. When added to cakes, mashed sweet potato adds moisture and sweetness to help yield a dense, rich crumb. Pound cake is a perfect way to showcase the flavor and texture of sweet potato, and this often overlooked tuber gets its chance to shine here in this recipe.

Learn how to make sweet potato pound cake, a decadent twist on traditional pound cake. It will be the perfect addition to your holiday dessert table.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pound Cake

To make sweet potato pound cake, you'll need:

• Cream cheese: Adds a tangy richness.
• Butter: Softened to mix easily with the cream cheese. If using unsalted versus salted butter, add an additional pinch of salt to the recipe.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake; can substitute with light brown sugar for even more moisture and flavor.
• Large eggs: Adds volume and binds the batter.
• Mashed sweet potatoes: Adds sweetness and moisture to the pound cake for a dense, rich crumb with an unmistakable fall flavor.
• All-purpose flour: A medium protein content for a sturdy pound cake.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Gives the cake its rise.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the cake.
• Ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg: You can use one or the other, or both, to add fall spice to this moist cake.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors of the cake; can also be substituted with bourbon or rum.

How To Make Sweet Potato Pound Cake

If you already have mashed sweet potatoes on hand, this recipe mixes up in minutes. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating to combine between each addition. Add sweet potatoes, and beat well.
• Step 2. Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients. Add to butter mixture, beating to combine. Stir in vanilla. Spoon into a greased and floured tube pan.
• Step 3. Bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan onto wire rack.

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Pound Cake

For a moist, dense pound cake, keep these tips in mind:

• Room temperature ingredients: Butter and cream cheese should be softened for a smooth mix, but using room temperature eggs and sweet potato can also help ensure a smooth batter that will rise nicely in the oven.
• Spoon and level (or weigh) your flour: A heavy hand when it comes to measuring your flour can lead to dense, heavy cakes.
• Don't overmix: Overmixing causes gluten development, which can lead to a rubbery result.
• Have fun with flavor: Love ginger? Add it in! Play with spices as boldly as you like for this fall-flavored cake.
• Don't overbake: Overbaked cakes become dry, even with moist sweet potato in the mix. Bake just until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean for a tender result.

Ways To Jazz Up Sweet Potato Pound Cake

The basic sweet potato pound cake is excellent on its own, but there are ways to have some fun or to make this pound cake a bit more centerpiece-worthy:

• Add glaze: From bourbon to maple, apple cider or caramel-rum, pound cake can be taken to the next level with a good dose of glaze.
• Add nuts: Fold in chopped toasted pecans or walnuts before baking for additional texture and flavor, or use to garnish the cake if glazing.
• Add spice: Ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and more all pair nicely with sweet potato. Try folding chopped crystallized ginger into the batter for a spicy touch.
• Add alcohol: Add a splash of bourbon or rum into the batter, or add to simple syrup for soaking the cake after baking for an even more moist texture.

How To Store Sweet Potato Pound Cake

A delicious cake to snack on for breakfast, a midday pick-me-up, or after-dinner dessert, this pound cake stays moist for days.

Store this pound cake covered, at room temperature, for up to three days. Wrap and refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze, sliced or whole, for up to three months for longer storage. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

More Fall Pound Cake Recipes You'll Love

Apple, pumpkin, caramel, chocolate, and other fall flavors shine in these delicious pound cake recipes:

• Apple Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Frosting
• Classic Chocolate Pound Cake
• Brown Sugar Pound Cake
• Pumpkin Pound Cake
• Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake
• Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes
• Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
• Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.