Grandma’s Famous Sweet Potato Butter Cake – Rich, Moist, and Classic

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed)

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp baking soda

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg

  • ½ tsp ground ginger

  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Topping:

  • Powdered sugar for dusting

  • Cream cheese glaze or caramel drizzle

  • Toasted pecans for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Sweet Potatoes

Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Boil in water until fork-tender (about 15–20 minutes). Drain well and mash until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 2: Preheat and Prepare Pan

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan, tube pan, or a 9×13 baking dish.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light, fluffy, and pale—about 3–5 minutes.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Sweet Potatoes

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Then add the mashed sweet potatoes and beat until smooth and fully incorporated.

Step 5: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Step 6: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract. Mix gently, just until combined—do not overmix.

Step 7: Bake the Cake

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 60–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check around 60 minutes to prevent overbaking.

Step 8: Cool and Serve

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, or drizzle with glaze if desired.

Notes

For the smoothest cake texture, make sure your mashed sweet potatoes are lump-free. You can even run them through a food processor for extra creaminess. Always ensure all ingredients (butter, eggs, buttermilk) are at room temperature for best results.

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