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Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
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Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

This sweet potato cake is a tender, spiced two-layer cake made with mashed sweet potato and buttermilk, covered in brown butter cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Cooling Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups sweet potato cooked, mashed and cooled
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Brown butter cream cheese frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, measured before browning
  • 16 oz full-fat block cream cheese softened but still cool
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • Milk only if needed 2 tablespoons at a time, up to 1/2 cup

Instructions

  • Prep. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch pans, or line with parchment.
  • Mix the dry. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together.
  • Mix the wet. Beat the butter with both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, then blend in the sweet potato.
  • Combine and bake. Add the dry mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and finishing with dry, mixing just until combined. Divide between the pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto racks and cool completely.
  • Brown the butter. Melt the frosting butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the milk solids are golden and nutty. Pour into a bowl with the browned bits and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until opaque and soft like softened butter.
  • Make the frosting. Beat the brown butter 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar on low, then the vanilla and salt. Add the cream cheese in chunks and beat just until smooth; don’t overbeat. Add milk only if it’s too stiff.
  • Assemble. Spread frosting between the cooled layers, then over the top and sides. Chill until set before cutting.

Notes

Keep the frosting and frosted cake covered and refrigerated. Let soften slightly before serving.