Sweet Potato Cake with Orange Glaze

Servings: 12 to 18
Preparation Time: 45 minutes, plus baking

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup butter (1 stick) room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Zest of 1 medium orange (about 2 tablespoons)
2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of 3 medium oranges (about ¾ cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes in boiling water and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain well and mash.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl.

Use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla. Add the flour and cream in 3 additions, alternating 1/3 flour mixture, ½ cream mixture until just blended.

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan coated with vegetable oil spray and dusted with flour. Bake for 50 or 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake to a rack placed on top of sheets of waxed paper.

Whisk together the orange zest and confectioners’ sugar. Whisk in the orange juice and vanilla.

Use a skewer to poke holes in the cake. Pour the glaze over the cake, repeating with the glaze that runs off onto the waxed paper.