Sweet Potato Pound Cake
For decadent, melt-in-your-mouth goodness, nothing delivers like sweet potato pound cake. Sweet potatoes are perfect for holiday dinners and everyday meals. However, they’re even better for dessert; pure comfort on a fork.
Now for the leftover sweet potato challenge with the perfect solution for you. This recipe for a sweet potato pound cake is a sure favorite. So fluffy, moist, and deliciously sweet, this is a pound cake like no other!
You guys already know how much I love pound cake. Just put it in the search bar and see how many recipes come up. Pound cakes are the easiest cakes out there and always end up beautiful. Charming simplicity!
At the same time, pound cakes offer a blank canvas for creativity — with a bit of imagination, you can turn them into fantastic new treats! In this case, a sweet potato pound cake, you read that right!
Why Sweet Potatoes Work for Pound Cake
Pound cake is all about the right ingredients in the correct proportions. There was a time when people made theirs with precisely a pound of butter, a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, and a dozen eggs. That is easy to remember, right? Add creamy sweet potato puree to the mix, and you have a dessert to die for.
How to Make a Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. (Photo 1)
- Cream the butter and the granulated and brown sugar until it’s fluffy and starting to look white (4-5 minutes).
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Then, add eggs one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition. Add mashed sweet potatoes, followed by the flour mixture a little at a time. (Photo 2-5)
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, and stir well, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl as you go. (Photo 6-7)
- Pour the mixture into a greased cake pan. Lightly tap the tube pan on the countertop to eliminate large air bubbles. (Photo 8-9)
- Bake in a preheated 300℉ (150℃) oven until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 minutes, more or less. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack. (Photo 10)
- Caramel glaze: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low, then stir in the brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer it to a container to cool.
- Frosting: Gradually stir the vanilla extract and caramel sauce into the powdered sugar until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. (Add a little milk if the frosting gets too thick.) Then drizzle on the cake, slice, and serve.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Divide the batter into a muffin pan instead of a cake pan. Reduce the baking time by 10 minutes. These are the most drool-worthy muffins you’ll ever try.
- Or pour your pound cake batter into a 9×13-inch baking pan and slice it into bars. Store them in the fridge for a fantastic grab-and-go snack.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. It should come out clean. However, keep in mind this pound cake is pretty moist — that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s undercooked.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
As with most pound cakes, this one is better the next day. Store it in an airtight container or a covered cake plate at room temperature. The cake will last for a couple of days (if it’s not eaten first).
There’s no need to reheat this pound cake, but if you want to enjoy it nice and warm, you can toast the slices on a baking tray in a preheated 350℉ (176℃) oven for about 5 minutes.
What Goes With a Sweet Potato Pound Cake
This lively sweet potato pound cake recipe is the perfect dessert after an Instant Pot turkey breast, ground beef casserole, or other hearty dishes.
You’ll also enjoy a slice of this sweet potato pound cake with a side of rum raisin pineapple ice cream or a pumpkin spice latte.
More Decadent Pound Cake Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in November 2021 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon (6g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (5g) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (2g) nutmeg
- 1-2 tablespoons (6-12g) orange zest
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar, packed
- 8 ounces (227g) unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups (360g) mashed sweet potatoes
- ½ cup (113g) sour cream
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
Caramel Glaze
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons (42-30g) heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon (1-2g) salt
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon (3ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Generously grease a bundt (or tube) pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and the granulated and brown sugar at high speed in a stand mixer until it's fluffy and starting to look white, about 4-5 minutes.
- Then add eggs one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition. Add mashed sweet potatoes, followed by the flour mixture a little at a time.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Stir well until everything is thoroughly combined. DON'T overmix. As you go, scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Pour the mixture into a greased cake pan. Lightly tap the cake pan on the countertop to eliminate any large air bubbles.
- Bake at 300℉ (150℃) until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 minutes, more or less.
- Move it to a wire rack and let it cool.
Caramel Glaze
- In a medium saucepan, add butter—heat on low.
- As soon as it melts, add the brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt. Continue to stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until it's well blended. Then bring the mixture to a boil, scraping down the sides occasionally, and boil it for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the caramel sauce to a container to cool.
- Gradually sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl, then stir in the vanilla extract and caramel sauce a little at a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
- Drizzle on the cake, slice, and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- In baking, it pays to be accurate. Measure your ingredients well for consistent results. If you can weigh them, it’s even better.
- Bring the ingredients to room temperature, especially the eggs, the sour cream, and the mashed sweet potatoes. The batter mixes better and cooks more evenly than if you start with cold ingredients.
- Avoid overmixing to prevent a crumbly pound cake.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Can I use Cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
Yes, you can use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour in this recipe. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which results in a finer, softer texture in baked goods. Here are a few things to keep in mind when using cake flour:
Texture: Cake flour will give your pound cake a lighter, more delicate crumb.
Conversion: If you’re substituting cake flour for all-purpose flour, the general rule is to use a bit more cake flour. For every cup of all-purpose flour, use about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour.
Mixing: Since cake flour is finer, be careful not to overmix the batter as it can easily become overworked, leading to a dense cake.
Sifting: Cake flour tends to clump more than all-purpose flour, so it’s a good idea to sift it before using to prevent lumps in your batter.
Using cake flour can be a great way to achieve a tender, fine-textured pound cake. Enjoy your baking!
I loved this cake it was very moist. I baked my sweet potatoes, I noticed in video you boiled yours. It did take longer for mine to bake. I made another sweet potato cake before but yours was more moist. I think it’s the sour cream. Making the caramel sauce was good but I think the powered sugar should be added immediately. The two cups of powdered sugar is to much. I had to keep adding milk to get a good consistency. Did I miss something in your direction. Let forward to hearing from you.
Hi Deborah, I’m so glad you loved the cake recipe. And thank you so much for the feedback on the frosting. The altitude, slight differences in measuring and cooking time, and personal preferences influence the final product. And adding milk to get the right consistency was the perfect fix.
If you prefer less sweet, definitely reduce the amount of powdered sugar. Honestly, how much sugar I put depends on who I’m making it for. If it’s for my boys, I reduce the sugar. But if it’s for a family gathering, I put it all.
Thanks for stopping by:)
I made this cake a couple of days ago, and while the cake turned out beautifully, the caramel glaze was not good at all. I followed the recipe exactly as written, as I often do with new recipes but the glaze was too thick too add much powdered sugar and it got even thicker and harder as it cooled. Obviously two tablespoons of milk is not enough and I see where another commenter mentioned adding more milk. I also just watched the video and noticed that it looked like more than two tablespoons were added. It would be helpful to make that adjustment to the recipe so others don’t end up with hard caramel candy like I did.
Hi Carol,
You’re right and thanks for the feedback. I’ve adjusted the recipe to 3-4 tablespoons of heavy cream to the two cups of powdered sugar. You could also halve the amount of sugar and add it a spoonful at a time until it has the desired consistency. Thanks for stopping by.
This looks delicious and I will definitely try it. I noticed in the video you used whole milk , but it’s not in the ingredients. How much to use?
Hi Celeste ,
I apologize for the oversight in the recipe. If whole milk is shown in the video but not listed in the ingredients, that’s definitely confusing. The recipe does not use milk. However, you can add about 1/3-1/2 cup of milk to add moisture and richness.
You can always adjust based on the consistency of your batter; it should be smooth but not too runny.
Thank you for catching that mistake, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify. I hope you enjoy making the Sweet Potato Pound Cake! ✨
Can you sub out sour cream for cream cheese?
Hi Emily!
Yes, you can substitute sour cream with cream cheese in this recipe, but keep in mind that it will alter the texture and flavor of the cake.Cream cheese is thicker and richer than sour cream, which can make the cake denser .
I had leftover sweet potato casserole that was going to be wasted. Used it as the sweet potato in recipe. It worked perfectly. Cake baked up moist and favorful. Thank you for excellent recipe.
Oh great to hear that. Thank you so much!
This was a winner at Thanksgiving! The only thing I did differently was use maybe a half cup to a cup of powdered sugar. Otherwise, it would not have been creamy pour. But the flavor, moistness, and glaze kept us coming back for more. Your recipes are amazing! And the fact that I can make it proves your talent not only as a baker but a teacher. This will be a recurring Thanksgiving dessert. Thanks!!!!
Another winner recipe! I made this with no changes except that I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I made 6 mini bundt cakes and still had enough batter to bake in a loaf pan. This was an absolute hit with the family.
My husband tasted it, nodded approvingly and said “you got this recipe from the blog lady with the rice and peas and brown stew chicken recipes, right?” Delicious!