Sweet Potato Cake

Enjoy the combination of sweet potato and fluffy marshmallow with this Sweet Potato Cake recipe. This is a perfect blend of a moist cake with a tender crumb topped with homemade creamy marshmallow fluff, and the cozy flavors of sweet potato.

Ingredients and substitutions for Sweet Potato Cake

• Sweet potato: Any whole sweet potatoes work for the mash here, if you have a white or purple sweet potato on hand you can absolutely use it. It is recommended to mash and weigh your sweet potato and allow it to cool before adding to your cake batter. You could replace with pumpkin puree in equal measure, however, it's best to use canned as this has less moisture than homemade puree.
• Sugars: The use of light and dark brown sugar compliments the sweetness from the sweet potato and adds a depth of flavor. You could substitute completely with only light or dark brown sugar. Completely substituting with superfine or caster sugar would only add sweetness.
• Egg: Room temperature eggs, add structure to the loaf, the egg helps to bind everything together so are essential.  Despite only using one egg white for that topping, this is just right without overpowering the cake.
• Milk: Whole milk was used here and helps add moisture to our loaf and gives it the light result without becoming stodgy. You could substitute with creamy non dairy milk.
• Flour: Plain or all purpose flour adds a light texture to the cake and you’ll keep a light crumb by only mixing until combined.
• Baking soda and powder: These help the loaf rise for a light crumb and avoid a stodgy result.
• Vanilla extract and salt: The flavor powerhouses that help balance the sweetness and give a depth of flavor within our loaf.
• Ground spices: Ground cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg all add layers of flavor that not only make this cake warm for cooler days, but also give nuance to the cake.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Sweet Potato Cake:

Step 1: Sweet potato base: Whisk the sweet potato, sugar and oil in a bowl until combined.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients: Whisk the egg until smooth and combined before adding in the milk and vanilla extract and combining until smooth.

Step 3: Dry mixture: Stir the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and add to the sweet potato mixture.

Step 4: Tin it: Pour into your loaf tin and smooth out.

Step 5: Bake: Until golden all over and cool fully.

Step 6: Make the syrup for the marshmallow: Heat with a candy thermometer until the temperature reaches 115C/240F and remove from the heat.

Step 7: Whip: The egg whites and lemon juice on medium-high speed until soft peaks form and then slowly pour the sugar syrup in a thin stream, until thick with a slight gloss.

Step 8: Crown: Spoon top of the cake and caramelize that marshmallow fluff to your preference.

Step 9: Serve up: Slice, serve and dig in!

FAQ's for the best Sweet Potato Cake

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Sweet Potato Cake

Sylvie Taylor

Light and spiced is this sweet potato loaf cake recipe topped with an easy homemade marshmallow fluff to make this cake a standout in a spectacular way!

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Cooling time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert, Snack

Servings 8

Calories 363 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Sweet Potato Cake

• 255 grams / 1 cup sweet potato mashed
• 50 grams / ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 100 grams / ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 114 grams / ½ cup sunflower oil
• 55 grams / 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 80 milliliters / ⅓ cup milk
• 240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
• 3 grams / ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 grams / 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Marshmallow Topping

• 15 grams / 1 tablespoon water
• 40 grams / 3 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
• 46 grams / ⅓ cup glucose syrup
• 38 grams / 1 egg white room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Sweet potato cake

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly greaseproof a loaf tin.
• Place the sweet potato puree, sugars and oil into a bowl and beat until smooth and combined.
• Add in the egg and beat until smooth and combined, approximately 1 minute.
• Pour in the milk, vanilla extract and whisk to combine until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, place the flour, baking powder soda, ground spices and salt.
• Toss the flour mixture into your wet mixture and beat on low speed until combined and no dry portions remain on sides of the bowl.
• Pour batter into your loaf tin and smooth out the top.
• Place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes or until golden all over.
• Remove and allow to cool before inverting onto a wire rack until completely cool to the touch.

Marshmallow topping

• Place the water, sugar and honey in a saucepan on medium heat with a candy thermometer, cooking until the temperature reaches 107C/225F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites and lemon juice into a bowl and whip on medium until soft peaks form, approximately 2 minutes.
• Continue cooking the syrup until it reaches 115C/240F and remove from the heat.
• Continue beating the egg whites whilst slowly pouring the sugar syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream, beating the mixture for a further 3 minutes, until it is thick and has a slight gloss in its appearance.
• Spoon on top of the cooled loaf, leaving an edge visible and adding peaks.
• Using a blowtorch, lightly burn that marshmallow fluff to your preference.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Sweet potato: Any whole sweet potatoes work for the mash here, if you have a white or purple sweet potato on hand you can absolutely use it. It is recommended to mash and weigh your sweet potato and allow it to cool before adding to your cake batter. You could replace with pumpkin puree in equal measure, however, it's best to use canned as this has less moisture than homemade puree.
• Sugars: The use of light and dark brown sugar compliments the sweetness from the sweet potato and adds a depth of flavor. You could substitute completely with only light or dark brown sugar. Completely substituting with superfine or caster sugar would only add sweetness.
• Ground spices: Ground cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg all add layers of flavor that not only make this cake warm for cooler days, but also give nuance to the cake.
• Loaf tin: The loaf tin used here fits 1 kilo or 2 pounds.
• Why the egg white needs to be room temperature: For your marshmallow topping: firstly, it will whip better allowing for smaller and denser bubbles meaning a great meringue will form and secondly, the sugar syrup will mix with your meringue more easily for a nice smooth result.
• Add a twist to the recipe: Whether you want to toss in pecans, dried fruit or make it gluten-free by using alternative flours, this recipe offers flexibility.

Recipe by Roamingtaste

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal

Keyword fall dish, meringue dessert

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