- Mix in sweet potato purée until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients in 2–3 additions, alternating with buttermilk.
- Mix just until combined (don’t overmix).
- Fold in nuts/raisins/chips if using.
6) Bake
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 45–60 minutes (bundt) or 30–40 minutes (9×13), until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
7) Glaze
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Drizzle over cooled cake. Add caramel drizzle if desired.
Serving and Storage:
Serve sweet potato butter cake at room temperature for the best flavor. It pairs beautifully with coffee, tea, or a scoop of
vanilla ice cream.
- Room temperature: 2 days (covered).
- Refrigerator: up to 5 days (airtight). Bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze: wrap slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Tips:
- Best sweet potato purée: bake or roast sweet potatoes until very soft, then mash/purée smooth. Avoid watery purée.
- Buttermilk substitute: 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice, rest 5 minutes.
- Don’t overmix: mix just until flour disappears to keep the cake tender.
- Bundt release trick: let cake cool 15 minutes, then invert—too hot or too cold can cause sticking.
- Next-day flavor: this cake tastes even better the next day as spices settle.
Variations:
- Brown butter version: brown the butter first for a nutty, caramel-like flavor (cool before using).
- Maple glaze: swap vanilla extract for maple extract, or add 1 tbsp maple syrup to the glaze.
- Cream cheese glaze: replace some powdered sugar glaze with softened cream cheese for tang.
- Spice cake style: add 1/2 tsp cloves and increase cinnamon to 1 1/2 tsp.
- Loaf cakes: bake in two loaf pans; start checking at 40 minutes.
Conclusion:
Grandma’s Famous Sweet Potato Butter Cake is pure comfort in dessert form—soft, buttery, warmly spiced, and rich with sweet
potato goodness. It’s easy enough for a weekend bake, special enough for holidays, and dependable enough to become the cake
everyone requests again and again. Add the glaze, slice it thick, and enjoy a recipe that tastes like tradition.
FAQ:
Can I use canned sweet potato purée?
Yes, as long as it’s plain purée and not sweet potato pie filling. If it seems watery, blot lightly or reduce buttermilk slightly.
What pan should I use?
Bundt pans make a beautiful presentation, but a 9×13 pan is simplest. Just adjust baking time and check early.
Why did my cake turn dense?
Overmixing and overbaking are common causes. Mix gently and remove the cake when a toothpick has moist crumbs.
Can I add frosting instead of glaze?
Absolutely. Cream cheese frosting pairs especially well with sweet potato cake.
How do I make it extra moist?
Use homemade roasted sweet potato purée, don’t overbake, and keep the cake covered once cooled. A light glaze also helps lock in moisture.
