Wow them with Sweet Potato Cake

Sweet Potato Souffle is a favorite component of holiday meals but may I suggest you go above and beyond with a Sweet Potato Cake?

Not just any cake, but a visually stunning ensemble creation from Executive Pastry Chef Sara Thomas of The Carolina Inn/Carolina Crossroads Restaurant, Chapel Hill, NC.

Sweet Potato Cake

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Roasted Sweet Potato Ice Cream

 Yields 2 Quarts

12 oz. roasted sweet potato

½ tsp. cinnamon

Pinch ginger

Smidgen Nutmeg

Smidgen cloves

1 1/4 cup (250 grams) sugar                                           

2 1/8 cup (500 grams) heavy cream

2 1/8 cup (500 grams) milk

1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 cup plus a heaping TBSP. (100 grams) corn syrup

1 tsp. Maldon salt (flaked sea salt)

1 cup (240 grams) egg yolks

1. In a saucepan, heat up the sweet potato, all the spices and sugar. Mix everything together.

2. Add the heavy cream, milk, vanilla bean, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil. 

3. Temper the egg yolks with the hot mixture until you can combine the cream mixture and egg yolks completely.

 4. Place in an ice bath until cool. Place mixture in a container and refrigerate overnight.

5. Pull that vanilla bean out and spin mixture in an ice cream machine.

  Brown Butter Sweet Potato Cake

                                                           

6 oz. melted brown butter                 

1 ½ cup  sugar              

2/3 cup brown sugar               

2 eggs            

1/3 cup buttermilk                     

1 ½ cup sweet potato puree               

9 oz. all-purpose flour            

1 ½ tsp. baking soda             

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon                 

1 tsp. ginger              

¼ tsp. cloves             

¾ tsp. salt                  

1.     Place butter in a pan on medium heat and cook it until it starts to brown – a medium dark color. Place in a container until cool.

2.     In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, cream together sugar, brown sugar and eggs.

3.     Add the buttermilk and sweet potato puree. Then add all the dry ingredients.

4.     Add the brown butter until all ingredients have been incorporated.

5.     Pour mixture in two 10” cake pans.

6.     Bake at 350° (F) for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until done.

7.     Completely cool cake. For best results refrigerate cake overnight.

8.     Slice the cake into 3 layers.

9.     Place a layer of cake on a plate and add a thin layer of icing on top.

10.  Add another layer of cake and add a thin layer or icing; repeat one more time.

11.  Refrigerate cake for approximately 2 hours.

12.  Cut cake into 12 – 16 slices.

13.  Add Toffee Sauce on plate.

14.  Place slice of cake on the plate and add a scoop of Roasted Sweet Potato Ice Cream.

 

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Brown Butter Sweet Potato Icing

12 oz. brown butter              

24 oz. cream cheese            

1 tsp. Maldon salt       

1 cup brown sugar      

10 oz. powdered sugar         

1 TBS. vanilla extract     

1 cup pecans ~ toasted and chopped

1.     Brown the butter the night before and set aside to room temperature.

2.     In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and salt until creamy.

3.     Add the brown butter and mix until completely incorporated.

4.     Add the brown sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

5.     Finally, add the chopped pecans. 

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Butterscotch Sauce

 Yield 12 Cups

6 oz. brown butter

3 ¾ cups sugar

2 ½ cups corn syrup

2 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ¾ tsp. salt

1.     Place butter in a pan on medium heat and cook it until it starts to brown – a medium dark color. Place in a container until cool.

2.     Add the sugar and corn syrup; bring to a boil.

3.     Add the salt and heavy cream; bring to a boil again.

4.     Refrigerate.

5.     Store in the refrigerator. Butterscotch Sauce will last for about one month.

Serve on the condition someone else does the dishes!