Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Cook the Book: Sweet Potato Cake with Pecan Streusel

Posted by Michele Humes, January 30, 2009 at 1:30 PM

You probably already know this combination of flavors as a Thanksgiving casserole, but Nicole Rees has reworked them into a lusciously moist cake. Like the rest of the recipes in Baking Unplugged, her sweet potato cake with pecan streusel is hand-mixed and requires no special equipment.

There's no better pick-me-up on a cold winter's day than a slice of pecan-strewn streusel cake with a steaming mug of coffee.

Win 'Baking Unplugged'

In addition to excerpting a recipe each day this week, we're giving away five (5) copies of Baking Unplugged. Enter to win here »

Sweet Potato Cake with Pecan Streusel

- makes 12 servings -
Adapted from Baking Unplugged by Nicole Rees

Ingredients

Pecan streusel:
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cake:
3/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup baked mashed sweet potato, at room temperature or just warm (from 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes)
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Procedure

1. For the streusel, in a small bown stir together the flour, brown sugar, pecans, and salt. Drizzle in the butter and stir until well combined. Squeeze the mixture between your fingers to form small clumps; set aside.

2. For the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9"-square baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the sweet potato, molasses, ginger, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Sift the flour and baking soda directly onto the batter. using a whisk or rubber spatula, combine the ingredients until well-blended and almost smooth.

3. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly with the spatula. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake until a skewer inserted near the center comes out with only moist crumbs clinging, about 45 minutes. Cool until just warm in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into rectangles.

Post a Comment Favorite this!  (4)

Tags: Baking Unplugged, cakes, Cook the Book, desserts, Nicole Rees, sweet potatoes