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Sweet Potato Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze Recipe

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4 from 2 reviews

This moist and decadent Sweet Potato Pecan Pound Cake combines warm spices and a luscious swirl of brown sugar and pecans, finished with a homemade caramel sauce. Perfect for fall and holiday gatherings, this classic bundt cake offers rich flavors and a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

For the Bottom of Pan

  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans

For the Swirl

  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup finely chopped pecans

For the Cake Batter

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened (339g) (1 ½ cups)
  • 2 cups sugar (400g)
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar (150g)
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3½ cups cake flour (399g)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder (2g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1¼ cup sweet potato puree (approx. 11 oz, canned)
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (12g)

For the Caramel Sauce

  • ½ stick unsalted butter (57g)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar (200g)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (126g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, 18g)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Pan: Grease and flour a 12-cup capacity tube or bundt pan, then sprinkle ½ cup of finely chopped pecans evenly over the bottom.
  2. Make the Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup light brown sugar and ¾ cup finely chopped pecans for the swirl; set aside.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3½ cups cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside.
  4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine 1¼ cups sweet potato puree, ¼ cup milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; set aside.
  5. Cream Butter and Sugars: Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat 3 sticks softened unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups sugar and ¾ cup light brown sugar, mixing 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
  6. Add Eggs: Add 5 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
  7. Combine Batter: On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and sweet potato mixture to the butter mixture starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined in three dry additions and two wet additions.
  8. Layer the Batter: Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle the swirl mixture over the batter. Top with remaining batter, smoothing gently with back of spoon or tapping pan to level.
  9. Bake: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Bake the cake for 1 hour and 5-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Baking time may vary; check near end and adjust as needed.
  10. Cool the Cake: Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Make Caramel Sauce (optional): In a medium saucepan, melt ½ stick butter over medium heat. Add 1 cup light brown sugar, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional). Stir gently, avoiding the pan sides. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly; caramel will thicken as it cools.
  12. Glaze the Cake: Once cake and caramel are cooled, drizzle caramel sauce over cake. Use a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a snipped corner for controlled drizzle if desired.

Notes

  • Substitute Cake Flour: To make cake flour substitute with all-purpose flour, for each cup of flour remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. For this recipe, remove 7 tablespoons of all-purpose flour from 3½ cups and replace with 7 tablespoons cornstarch; whisk to blend.
  • Pan Size: This recipe uses a bundt pan with a 12-cup capacity and about 10 inches diameter. For smaller pans, baking time may be longer and do not fill more than two-thirds full to avoid overflow.
  • Freezing: The cake freezes well. Wrap freshly baked cake with plastic wrap and foil while slightly warm and freeze up to 3 months.
  • Thawing: Thaw frozen bundt cake overnight in refrigerator wrapped, then bring to room temperature still wrapped for a few hours.
  • Baking Variations: Baking times may vary based on pan type and oven accuracy; start checking cake at 1 hour bake time.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/sweet-potato-pecan-pound-cake-with-caramel-glaze-recipe/