Y’all the Queen of Pound Cakes is back with another one. My Sweet Potato Pound Cake recipe is the best you will find on the web boos. I bake my sweet potato then mash for more flavor before creating my spiced batter. Finally after I bake it up, I add a cinnamon brown butter glaze. I seriously sit and eat that stuff with a spoon, it’s so dang on good.
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Sweet Potato Pound Cake Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter: You can use salted. Just leave out the salt.
- Cake Flour: If you don’t have any, homemade cake flour made with AP flour and cornstarch works.
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Swap in pumpkin pie spice here.
- Sour Cream: Plain Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
- Mashed Sweet Potato: I prefer to bake for more flavor but boiling is fine too.
- Honey: Maple syrup can also be used.
How to make Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. Mix until just combined and set aside.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring that each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
Step 3: Add the sour cream, sweet potato, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until incorporated (the batter may look curdled, but no worries—it’s all good). Reduce the mixer speed to low, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients by pouring in half of the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Don’t overdo it boos.
Step 4: Add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. In the end, the batter will be thick y’all.
Step 5: Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan and, using a small offset spatula, smooth out the top. Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350°F OR until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Next make the glaze. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and wait until butter begins to brown. Watch the butter closely because it can burn fast. Remove from heat.
Step 7: Whisk in the honey until combined and slowly whisk in the powdered sugar in 3 increments. Whisk in the milk to loosen the mixture and continue mixing until combined. Whisk in the cinnamon until smooth.
Step 8: Drizzle glaze over cooled cake, slice and serve.
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Sweet Potato Pound Cake Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter room temperature (2 1/2 sticks)
- 3 cups cake flour measured then sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato see note below about roasting the sweet potato for this recipe
- 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
For the Cake
- Prepare a 12 cup bundt pan by liberally greasing by spraying with baking spray that has flour or using my cake release. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
- Preheat to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Or you can beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer in a large bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring that each egg is incorporated before adding the next. You may want to stop the mixer after each addition and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, sweet potato, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until incorporated (the batter will look curdled, but no worries—it’s all good).
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients by pouring in half of the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. At this point you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to completely mix in the flour. Add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan and, using a small offset spatula, smooth out the top. Bake for 50 minutes then check to see if it is done by inserting a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean. If not, put it back in the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Check again using a toothpick.
- Transfer bundt pan to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack or a plate. Let cool completely before glazing.
For the Glaze
- Start working on the glaze once the cake has completely cooled. Start by browning the butter. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a 2 quart saucepan. Continue to cook butter and allow it to slowly brown until it turns a dark golden color with specs throughout and a nutty fragrance develops. Be careful not to burn.
- Whisk in the honey until combined and slowly add the powdered sugar in 3 increments. Mixture will thicken quickly. Whisk in the milk to loosen the mixture and continue mixing until combined. Whisk in the cinnamon until smooth.
- Let the glaze sit for 10 minutes to cool down a bit and slightly thicken. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake, slice and serve.
Notes
How to store & reheat sweet potato pound cake
Store your sweet potato pound cake well-wrapped at room temp in a cool, dry place or in a cake carrier to keep it no-fuss.How long will sweet potato cake last in the fridge?
It should last at room temperature for about 5-6 days.Can I freeze it?
Yep, absolutely boos! If you are baking ahead, you can freeze it without the glaze. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to three months. If you’re freezing leftovers, wrap up the remaining section of cake or individual slices in plastic and store it inside a freezer bag or container for up to three months.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Bake the Sweet Potato: While you can grab a can to keep things simple, I prefer to bake the sweet potato then mash for more flavor.
- Make sure your ingredients come to room temperature. It makes the batter more combined and smooth.
- Don’t Overbeat: When you add your dry ingredients, only mix until just combined so you don’t overact the gluten boos.
- Chill Out: Make sure your cake is cooled down completely before you add your brown butter glaze so it doesn’t melt right off the cake.
- Easy Breezy Cleanup: Add a baking sheet lined with parchment underneath the wire rack with your cake on top so that as you pour the glaze it drips into the pan and not all over your counter.
They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“I love this poundcake! It’s amazing, I make it at least twice a month. The people I work with fight over it when I bring it for holiday potlucks..I love creating havoc over something so yummy! Great recipe. Thanks for sharing!”
—SUNI S.
Recipe Help
I personally love to prick, lightly oil then wrap a large sweet potato in foil and bake for about an hour at 400 degrees. You will want to test to make sure that the sweet potato is perfectly tender and soft before removing. If it is ready, then you are all good.
Either grab a non-stick baking spray or use my cake release to ensure it doesn’t stick. You have to cover every inch of the pan before you add the batter. Inverting a slightly cooled cake over a wire rack allows gravity to help remove it from the pan without breaking. If it seems to be a bit resistant, allow it some time to keep cooling.
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If I don’t have sour cream; can I substitute with milk, cream cheese or buttermilk instead? Trying to avoid another trip to the store
No I would suggest not substituting for this recipe unfortunately.
Very good!
Thank you!!
What kind of milk do you use?
Whole milk is good
I’m curious. Can you add 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups of white sugar?
Yep it should turn out great. Enjoy!
Did you change the recipe?! I have a printed copy of a sweet potato pound cake that was baked in a loaf pan and I cannot find it on the website anymore.
Yes we made an update on this recipe this year infact. I think you will like it. Check out the new comments, lots of love. If you want to still bake in a loaf pan, you can halve the recipe.
I’ve made this pound cake twice in one week! My family gobbled the first one up so fast, they asked I make another one. Thank you!
Wow thank you so much! I’m so so glad you all enjoyed it.
This was a perfect accurate recipe. Just finished making it and it smells divine. Thank you!
Absolutely my pleasure. So glad you enjoyed this.
This cake was so good! Can I double the recipe and make two cakes at a time with this recipe?
Thanks so much! I don’t recommend just doubling this recipe. You have to be a bit more cautious with ingredients like baking powder or baking soda. These leavening agents don’t always scale perfectly when you double and you could result in an overly dense or uneven cake which no one wants. I suggest making the batter twice.
This recipe made me curse lol. So good, moist, and rich! The spice is just right and I added a little bourbon to the glaze! Will be making this a staple!
hahaha I love the bourbon twist you added. So glad you enjoyed this.
Love your recipe! First time making & glaze has turned into a sugar mush!! What did I do wrong?? Make another or how to correct?
You need to be consistently whisking to make sure it comes out smooth. The milk helps loosen it while it is warm. There are also step by step images at the top to show you how it should look at each step if that helps.
So sorry to hear that! You will want to remake it.