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Bundt cake dusted with powdered sugar on a cooling rack, similar to this sweet potato pound cake recipe
Chef Emma

Sweet Potato Pound Cake With Brown Sugar Glaze

A moist Bundt pound cake made with mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, baked at 325°F and finished with a buttery brown sugar glaze.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 226 g, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 g
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 100 g
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potato 340 g, cooled
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 375 g
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk 120 ml, room temperature
Brown sugar glaze
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 60 g
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract plus a pinch of salt

Equipment

  • 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Small saucepan

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
  3. Beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high 4 to 5 minutes until fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the sweet potato and vanilla.
  5. On low, add the dry ingredients in three parts alternating with the milk, just until combined.
  6. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the center reads about 200°F to 205°F.
  7. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, turn out and cool at least 1 hour.
  8. For the glaze, simmer the butter and brown sugar 1 minute, add the milk and simmer 30 seconds, then whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt off the heat. Cool 5 minutes and spoon over the cake.

Notes

Use plain cooked sweet potato or plain purée, not candied yams. Store covered up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze unglazed up to 3 months. Don't taste the raw batter. Calories are an estimate per slice (1/16, with glaze) from USDA FoodData Central values.