Sweet Potato Layer Cake With Spiced Pecan Buttercream Food

SWEET POTATO LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sweet potato, water and vanilla. , In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; fold into the sweet potato mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to potato mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour into three greased and lightly floured 9-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 350° for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks. , For frosting, in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the sugar, milk and eggs yolks until smooth. Add butter; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a metal spoon, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla. Transfer to a small bowl; cool for 10 minutes. , Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with a third of the frosting. Repeat layers.

MAMA NEELY'S SPICED PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13- by 9-inch pan.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon until nicely combined and the pecans are fully coated.
• For the glaze: In a second medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and milk until all the sugar is fully incorporated and there are no lumps. Set the glaze to the side.
• For the cake: Into a large bowl, add the cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, 1/4 cup water, flour and eggs. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until fully combined, about 4 minutes. Pour about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the pecan filling on top and swirl into the batter. Pour the next half of the batter over and spread to make an even layer.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a plate or platter, and let cool completely.
• Whisk the glaze a bit to make sure it's still smooth and then drizzle all over the cake. Let the glaze set a bit and serve!

SWEET POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, potatoes, shortening, water and egg. Combine dry ingredients; add to potato mixture and mix well. Stir in raisins and pecans. Pour into a greased 8-cup fluted tube pan. , Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

SPICED SWEET-POTATO CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR ICING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then generously butter pan. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely.
• For icing:
• Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Stir brown sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over powdered sugar. Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.)