Orange Sweet Potato Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pound fresh sweet potatoes
- 2 1/2 cup flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup plus 3 1/2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
Cook unpeeled sweet potatoes, covered, in salted, boiling water, 20 to 30 minutes or until very soft. (Or microwave on high (100 percent) power 6 minutes.) [I baked the potatoes at 450 degrees F.] Cool. Peel and dice and place in a food processor or a blender. Puree and reserve. (Should be about 1 1/4 cups.) Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; reserve. Combine milk, 1/2 cup orange liqueur and 1 teaspoon vanilla; reserve. Cream butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in reserved flour mixture, alternately with milk mixture, mixing well after each addition. Do not over mix. [I blended in the flour in fourths and the milk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour.] Blend in sweet potatoes and orange peel. [I folded in the sweet potatoes and orange peel by hand.] Turn into a greased and floured 10-inch bundt pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree F oven 40 mintes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 20 minutes; remove from pan. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup orange liqueur and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Brush over warm cake; cool cake completely. Combine powdered sugar, remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons orange liqueur and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. If necessary, add more orange liqueur until glaze is of desired consistency. Drizzle over cake. Garnish top with orange peel, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 servings.