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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, cream cheese frosting, pecan cake, sweet potato cake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Cooling time 4

Total Time 5 20

Servings people

Calories 623kcal

Author Dr. Wendy Dearborne

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