Ingredients
SWEET POTATO AND GINGER CAKE
- 2¼ c (450 g) cooked sweet potato, well mashed
- ¾ c (150 g) sugar
- ¼ c (50 g) dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ¾ c vegetable oil
- 1 c (115 g) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg (freshly grated, if you can)
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp dark rum, I used The Kraken Black Spiced Rum
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ c plus 2 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger
VANILLA RUM BUTTERCREAM
- 3 egg whites
- 1 c (200 g) white sugar
- 1½ sticks (12 tbsp) butter, cool but not cold
- 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp dark rum, I used The Kraken Black Spiced Rum
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp vanilla bean powder (or ¼ vanilla bean, scraped)
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
SWEET POTATO AND GINGER CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 3-by-6-inch cake pans, line with paper rounds, sprinkle with flour, and tap out excess. Remove from the equation.
- On medium-high speed, beat the sugar and eggs together for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the oil and continue to beat on medium until everything is well mixed. Mix in the cooled sweet potato puree until everything is well mixed.
- Sift together the dry ingredients, then stir them into the sweet potato mixture.
- Mix in the rum and vanilla until smooth, then toss in the crystallized ginger gradually.
- Smooth the batter evenly into the prepared pans using a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the pans in the oven and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow 10 minutes for the pans to cool on a wire rack, or until they are cold enough to handle, before inverting the cakes onto the rack to cool to room temperature. It may be made two days ahead of time and kept at room temperature, covered securely in two layers of plastic wrap.
VANILLA RUM BUTTERCREAM
- To eliminate any traces of oil, wipe the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer, the whisk attachment, and a whisk with vinegar or lemon juice and a paper towel.
- Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a saucepan, then lower to a low heat. Add the egg whites and sugar to the metal mixing bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water (bowl should fit snugly but not contact the water). Stir frequently with a whisk until the temperature hits 140 degrees on a candy thermometer or the mixture is frothy and hot. Remove the pan from the heat.
- For around 10 minutes, beat the egg whites and sugar on high speed until the bottom of the basin is totally neutral. Switch to the paddle attachment and reduce the mixer’s speed to low.
- Mix in the butter chunks gradually until the texture is smooth. Keep mixing if the buttercream curdles; it will come back together.
- Combine the rum, vanilla extract, vanilla bean powder, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and well combine. Taste, then season with a touch of salt. If desired, season with extra salt or cinnamon.
- Buttercream may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks. Before using, bring back to room temperature and beat until smooth.
- Double the recipe if you want to crumb coat the cake. Triple the amount of icing to thoroughly cover the cake.
Source: oh honey bakes
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
