Equipment
Ingredients
The Dry Aromatics
- 175 g all-purpose flour
- 7 g ground ceylon cinnamon
- 6 g baking powder
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 1½ g baking soda
- 1½ g ground nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 g ground cardamom
The Emulsion & Inclusions
- 150 ml neutral vegetable oil
- 90 g granulated sugar
- 120 g dark maple syrup
- 5 ml vanilla bean paste
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 200 g sweet potato, finely grated, raw
- 135 g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
Beurre Noisette Frosting
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 125 g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature, softened
- 200 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 3 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 504 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 32 g
- Sodium
- 318 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 64 mg
- Potassium
- 223 mg
- Calcium
- 71 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 120 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 235 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.30 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 36 mcg
- Water
- 32 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Lightly coat the 8-inch pan with oil and line with parchment paper, ensuring a 2-cm overhang on opposite sides for easy extraction.
Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sea salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cardamom into a medium bowl. Whisk briefly to ensure the leavening agents are perfectly distributed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for 60 seconds after each addition until the mixture is pale and fully emulsified.
Set the mixer to low and gradually introduce the dry ingredients. Mix only until the last trace of white flour disappears into the batter.
Using a flexible spatula, gently fold in the finely grated sweet potato and 100g of the toasted pecans. Ensure the inclusions are evenly dispersed without deflating the batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 32-38 minutes at 175°C (350°F). The cake is done when the surface springs back to a light touch and a tester comes out clean.
While the cake cools, place butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt and continue cooking, swirling frequently, until the milk solids turn a deep amber and the aroma is intensely nutty. Immediately transfer to a heat-safe bowl and chill until it reaches the consistency of soft peanut butter.
Whip the cream cheese and cooled brown butter (including the browned bits) until light and aerated. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then whip on high for 3 minutes until voluminous.
Apply a thick, swirling layer of frosting to the completely cooled cake. Garnish with the remaining 35g of chopped pecans and a final pinch of sea salt if desired.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to this cake is the quality of the maple syrup—avoid 'pancake syrup' at all costs.
- For the cleanest slices, use a hot, dry serrated knife, wiping it clean between every cut.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the frosting from absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic film and foil.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature for optimal frosting texture. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Frosting is runny or grainy
Cause: Brown butter was still too warm or cream cheese was too cold.
Fix: Chill the entire frosting bowl for 15 minutes, then re-whip vigorously.
Prevention: Ensure both fats are at an identical room temperature (approx 20°C) before combining.
Cake is gummy in the center
Cause: Sweet potatoes were too wet or oven temperature was inaccurate.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooled.
Prevention: Grate the potatoes just before mixing; do not let them sit and release juice.
Cultural Context
A modern evolution of the Southern American sweet potato pie and the classic spice cake, utilizing French pastry techniques (beurre noisette) to deepen the flavor profile.
