This Sweet Potato Pound Cake is a moist, dense cake flavored with warm spices and sweet potatoes, topped with a creamy maple pecan glaze. Then, I like to add a few chopped pecans on top for the finishing touch and a nutty crunch. This is a perfect dessert for any time of the year! (Do you know what day Thanksgiving is this year!?) If you enjoy this pound cake (which I hope you do!), you will also want to try my Pumpkin Dessert, another dense cake that is topped with a cream cheese glaze.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rinsed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces before being boiled for about 20 minutes. Then, they are mashed and cooled before adding them to the cake batter. I love the moisture they add to the cake, as well as help with the dense texture (which I love).
- Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter (I used it in both the cake and the glaze). It gives me the most control over salt in a recipe. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen or leave out the salt.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice give the cake a warm, comforting flavor that complements the sweet potatoes. If you have pumpkin pie spice, you could use that in place of the three ground spices.
- Maple Pecan Glaze: The glaze is a sweet, creamy sauce made with butter, maple syrup, and cream, mixed with confectioners’ sugar. It is drizzled over the cooled cake.
- Pecans: I can’t leave off the chopped pecans on my piece of this pound cake! They are optional, but I love the nutty crunch and flavor they bring to the cake. I also like how they look when sprinkled on top of the glaze.
Can I Use Canned Sweet Potatoes?
Sure! You can use canned sweet potatoes for the pound cake–just make sure to drain them well and mash them until smooth. You will need about 2 1/2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes for this recipe.
Can I Use A Different Pan?
Yes! I used a 10-inch Bundt pan, which is a pan with decorative edges and a hole in the middle. You can also use two loaf pans. Bake them for 60-80 minutes, and start checking after 60 minutes. The cake is ready when the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs but no wet batter. And don’t forget to add the glaze and pecans!
How To Store Sweet Potato Pound Cake
You can store this sweet potato pound cake with or without the glaze. It is best stored wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. I do not recommend refrigerating the pound cake since that can dry it out faster. For longer storage, freeze the cake!
Freezing Pound Cakes
If I have to freeze the cake, I like to do it without the glaze. It’s easy to make and add that when ready to serve. To freeze the cake, double-wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. Once thawed, add the glaze and top with pecans.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 large sweet potatoes, rinsed, peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Maple Pecan Glaze
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Drain and place potatoes into a large bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes until smooth. (You will need 2 ½ cups of mashed sweet potatoes for this recipe.) Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add sugar and butter. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Mix in mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate. Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.
Maple Pecan Glaze
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the maple syrup and heavy whipping cream, stirring to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and let it boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat. Then, whisk in the confectioners' sugar until the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Allow the glaze to cool for 25-30 minutes or until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle the cooled glaze evenly over the cake. Top with pecans.
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This pound cake is dense and moist with a good balance of sweet potato flavor and warm spices.
Elizabeth
I love our pound cakes, but I have to say I never thought you could make one with sweet potatotes! It was SO good, and the glaze with pecans really made the cake special.
Bella
Sweet potatoes in a cake? Who knew? (Well, I didn't.) But, they do make the cake super moist. I loved the nutty glaze.
Annabelle
I can see how this cake would be popular in the Fall, especially around Thanksgiving.
Selena
Absolutely delicious! The cake is tender and full of autumn spices, and the maple pecan glaze brings it all together with a rich, sweet finish.
Looks yummy