Sweet Potato Pound Cake

This Sweet Potato Pound Cake is moist, warmly spiced, and full of flavor. It's topped with a rich homemade caramel frosting, making one of the best Fall desserts ever! 

Why You'll Love This Pound Cake

• Moist and dense
• Spiced with the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Topped with a caramel frosting: Although pound cakes usually have no glazes or frosting as a topping, we enrich its flavor by adding a caramel frosting made from scratch. However, if you prefer to serve yours without it, you may top it with a light dusting of confectioner sugar, or with fresh fruit and a dollop of whipped cream.
• Perfect for Fall: It makes a great treat for gatherings, holidays, or to serve as a coffee cake.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake Recipe

This Southern classic is moist, comforting, aromatic, and festive, making the perfect dessert for Autumn or your holidays. 

The cake itself is dense and buttery with a hearty sweet potato flavor. 

The sweetness of the homemade caramel balances well with the mild flavor of the cake. The spices make this a warm, comforting dessert, and the sweet potatoes and the caramel capture the spirit of the season.

But if you would like to have this just to brighten your afternoon, accompanied by a cup of coffee or tea... well, I won't blame you either. My husband can speak wonders about it. 🙂

Seriously, either for a festive occasion or for a simple afternoon treat, this sweet potato pound cake 'takes the cake' and crushes any competition! 🙂

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the Batter

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk (or 3 Tablespoons whole milk mixed with ½ teaspoon of white vinegar)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes, cool (or canned Yams which are cut or mashed sweet potatoes. Make sure to drain any syrup!). TO COOK fresh sweet potatoes: Make sure to cook wash 2 large sweet potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. and microwave them in a microwave-safe dish for 8-12 minutes or until tender. Then, carefully slit them open and scoop out the cooked flesh. TIP: Avoid boiling them as they can absorb too much water and make your cake too wet or gummy.   
• 1 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

For the Caramel Frosting

• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup powdered sugar

How to Make Sweet Potato Pound Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10” tube or bundt pan, and set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and then add the sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition at low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl after each addition. Add the buttermilk and beat just until incorporated. The batter will look lumpy.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture at low speed until combined. Beat in the cooked mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level uniformly. Bake for 55-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

6. Prepare the caramel frosting and immediately pour it over the cake. Let it set!

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Pound Cake

• Use room temperature ingredients: Butter must be softened, eggs must be at room temperature, and the mashed sweet potatoes must be cool to ensure a smooth batter that will rise evenly in the oven.
• Measure and level (or weigh) the dry ingredients, especially the flour to avoid a too-dense or dry cake.
• Don't overmix: It can cause gluten development, leading to a rubbery cake.
• Flavoring: You may add ground ginger or orange zest to the butter to spike its flavor!
• Don't overbake: The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Overbaking can make the cake dry.
• Make a smooth frosting: Ensure the brown sugar has dissolved completely and gradually whisk the powdered sugar, mixing constantly until the caramel frosting is smooth (not lumpy). Then, immediately pour it over the pound cake, or it will harden. 

Variations

• Flavor: You may replace sweet potatoes with pumpkin purée or mashed bananas.
• Spices: Replace ground cinnamon and nutmeg with ground ginger, orange zest, apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or allspice. 
• Nuts: Add ½ to 1 cup of chopped pecans to the batter or use them to garnish your baked goodie. 
• Topping: If you prefer, top the cake with a brown butter glaze, or an orange frosting, or dust it with powdered sugar. 
• Mold: You can bake it in two loaf pans instead of a bundt cake mold. 

FAQs

How To Store 

• Room Temperature: Store sweet potato pound cake, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 3-4 days in a dry, cool place.   
• Fridge: Store it, well-covered, in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.
• Freezer: Freeze the cake (without the frosting), wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, for up to 4 months.

Other Pound Cake Recipes

• Strawberry pound cake
• Lemon coconut pound cake
• Gingerbread pound cake
• Passion fruit cake

PIN AND ENJOY!

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5 from 8 votes

The Best Sweet Potato Pound Cake

This Sweet Potato Pound Cake is moist, warmly spiced, and full of flavor. It's topped with a rich homemade caramel frosting, making one of the best Fall desserts ever!

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 16 slices

Calories397.8 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Cost $ 0.75 per slice

Equipment

• 1 Stand mixer
• 1 bundt cake pan 10-inch
• 1 oven
• 1 Wire rack
• 1 small saucepan

Ingredients

For the Batter:

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk or 3 Tablespoons whole milk mixed with ½ teaspoon of white vinegar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes cool (or canned Yams which are cut or mashed sweet potatoes. Make sure to drain any syrup!). TO COOK fresh sweet potatoes: Make sure to cook wash 2 large sweet potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. and microwave them in a microwave-safe dish for 8-12 minutes or until tender. Then, carefully slit them open and scoop out the cooked flesh. TIP: Avoid boiling them as they can absorb too much water and make your cake too wet or gummy.
• 1 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

For the Caramel Frosting:

• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup powdered sugar For a less thick, runny frosting, reduce it to ⅓ cup.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10” tube or bundt pan, and set aside.
• Prepare the cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and then add the sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. TIP: Make sure to not over-cream them; otherwise, your cake can acquire gummy streaks! Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition at low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl after each addition. Add the buttermilk and beat just until incorporated. The batter will look lumpy.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Slowly add the flour mixture to the potato mixture at low speed until combined. Beat in the mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tube/bundt pan and level uniformly. Bake for 55-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Once the cake has cooled completely, prepare the caramel frosting. If you prefer, serve this sweet potato pound cake plain, dusted with confectioner sugar, or with a dollop of whipped cream.
• For the Caramel Frosting: Bring brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter to a boil in a small stainless steel saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Continue to stir the mixture until it just begins to cool and thicken. Immediately pour mixture over cooled sweet potato pound cake and let set. Decorate with chopped pecans on top or with fresh cranberries and mint leaves on the side.

Recipe Notes

How To Store 

• Room Temperature: Store sweet potato pound cake, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 3-4 days in a dry, cool place.   
• Fridge: Store it, well-covered, in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.
• Freezer: Freeze the cake (without the frosting), wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 397.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.6g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 17.7g | Saturated Fat: 10.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6g | Trans Fat: 0.6g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 163.5mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 34.9g | Vitamin A: 2939.6IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 50.2mg | Iron: 1.5mg

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

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This post was first published on November 9, 2015.