Can we just take a moment of silence for how amazing southern cooking is? I don’t know what it is, but as soon as a southerner says they have a great recipe for something, I automatically believe them. I could’ve met them for just a couple minutes, but I’ll straight up believe them and probably tell my cousins about how “so and so has a great recipe for this!” Is it the no-shame amount of butter they put into everything? Do they tell the food how amazing it will be when it’s being made, that it has no choice but to thrive? (That happens with plants I guess… I wouldn’t know. I’m the grim reaper of plants.) Or maybe its their slower way of living that is instilled in their cooking, making sure they have time to grab hold of all the flavor potential of any and all food.
When The Chef’s Uncle Boxey’s wife told me she had a recipe for sweet potato cake, my ears perked up and I instantly knew it was a winner. This recipe has now become even more special because our sweet Uncle Boxey (William) went on to be with The Chef’s dad in heaven. This recipe was given to us the last time we saw Uncle Boxey this past September. He was such a sweet old man full of southern charm. He had a full head of hair, and a kindness that dripped out of every action he did. Especially in his smile. He will be one sorely missed man.
- +For the Cake+
- 2 C Sweet potato- cooked and mashed
- 2 C Sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 1 C Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 C Flour (plus extra to coat pan)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- +Cream Cheese Frosting+
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 stick butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp vanilla
- +Apple Cider Cinnamon Icing+
- 1 cup powder sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp Apple Cider (or enough to make it slowly runny)
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- *Lemon twist for garnish*
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Parchment paper line two 8X8 round cake pans, and then oil and flour the bottom and sides. Set aside.
- Combine cooked/mashed sweet potato (put sweet potato's in a 400˚F oven until tender, then peel and mash when cool enough to handle), sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine with wet ingredients, and mix well.
- Pour the cake mix evenly into the two prepared cake tins. Pop in the oven for 30 min or until a cake tester comes out clean. (try in 5 min increments if it's not finished)
- Cool in the pans for 10 min and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before you put any icing or frosting on.
- In a mixer beat butter and cream cheese together, and gradually add in powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Mix until smooth. (Add in a splash of milk if its too thick, but it should be good)
- In a bowl mix powder sugar and cider together until it's slowly runs off the spoon. Adjust if needed (I feel like I always need to adjust...) Once desired consistency is achieved, sprinkle in cinnamon and mix.
- With one layer of the cake, add on a few spoonfuls of cream cheese frosting and smooth over top. Add on second layer of cake and repeat. I went for the "naked cake" look so I had plenty of frosting to work with. Then drizzle icing over top. Garnish as wanted.
- You can easily put this cake into a 9X13 pan and bake it that way instead of a double layer cake. It's still plenty delicious!
Happy New Year!!
+The Everyday Chef and Wife+
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