Wendy’s Signature Pecan Sweet Potato Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
My signature Pecan Sweet Potato Cake is a delicious slice of heavenly Southern cuisine. Reminiscent of carrot cake, the raw, finely grated sweet potatoes used in this recipe takes it to another level.
Equipment
- Bundt cake pan
- Spatula
- 2 bowls
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooking oil neutrally flavored
- 2 cups sugar light brown
- 4 large eggs separated
- 4 tbsp hot water or ¼ cup important step
- 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½-1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1-½ cups grated raw sweet potatoes
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 1 cup of finely chopped nuts walnuts or pecans
- 2 oz golden raisins/sultanas
- 2 oz flaked coconut desiccated sweet optional
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla almond or lemon extract
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 325°F Position rack in the middle/top half of the oven.
- Sift flour baking powder and spices together.
- Separate eggs.
- Beat egg whites until they form peaks that hold their shape and don’t collapse.
- Lightly beat yolks.
- Spray Bundt pan with non-stick spray or coat with a thin layer of oil and a dusting of flour.
Cake Batter
- Combine cooking oil and sugar and beat until smooth. About 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat well.
- Add hot water. This is an important step as it starts to bring everything together.
- Then add flour, which have been sifted together with spices, salt and baking powder. Mix well to fully incorporate.
- Stir in finely grated sweet potatoes and carrots, nuts, raisins/sultanas and coconut shreds if using, Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat well.
- Fold beaten egg whites into batter, 1/3 at a time. Using a spatula fold until eggs whites are well incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Tap on counter to release air bubbles
- Bake at 325°F for 1 hour or until cake is cooked. Or when an inserted toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
- Allow cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto a cooking rack and allow to cool completely before frosting the cake. 3 – 4 hours.
Frosting
- In a bowl, cream butter and cheese together. Add confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Finally, add extracts mix well and frost the cake.
- Keep refrigerated. Allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
The hot water helps to homogenize the batter. And yes, I have made this cake without this step and for me, the end results are far better with it.
This cake should be moist, but not like a carrot cake. The crumb should be more like a pound cake.
Nutrition
Serving: 14gCalories: 623kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 7gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 228mgPotassium: 249mgFiber: 3gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 3150IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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