I love to bake – ask anyone.  I’ll use any excuse to bake and bring my sweet treats to any function, so for Thanksgiving I  knew I wanted to bring a baked item for the group.  I don’t have the patience to make a pie and cookies seemed “vin ordinaire”, so…enter Sweet Potato cake!  It was the 1st time I attempted this recipe (adapted from VegNews) and it could not have worked out better.  It was hearty and moist, sweet and a bit spicy – not to mention, it looked like a knockout!

For The Cake Batter:

• 3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1-1/4 cups unbleached cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potato purée (Or make your own from canned sweet potatoes pieces.  I did.)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

For The Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 2/3 cup margarine
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted and divided

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch cake pans (I used a round spring form for both layers). For the batter, in a large bowl whisk together pastry flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add sweet potato purée, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and whisk well to form a smooth batter.
2. Evenly divide cake batter between prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes in pans. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool 10 minutes, remove from cake pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
3. For the frosting, in a large bowl beat margarine with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. With beaters going, slowly add powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla, and beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.
4. To assemble cake, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread the frosting evenly on first layer. Place remaining cake layer on top. Frost the sides and top of the layer cake with frosting, as desired, and then sprinkle the pecans over the top.

Seriously delicious… people are still talking about it.