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cake shaped like a pumpkin on a cake stand with a slice of cake in front

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Poundcake

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups sweet potato , roasted and puréed 
  • 5 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 8 teaspoons baking powder
  • 8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups dark brown sugar, packed
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup sour cream or thick yogurt Note from Heidi: if you are in Charlotte, try using Zack Gadberry's Uno Alla Volta locally made Yogurt Cheese found on Saturday's at the Matthews Farmers Market

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened softened - Zack at Uno Alla Volta offers locally made cream cheese as well
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temp - locally made butter is also available from Zack at Uno Alla Volta
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons your flavoring of choice (like strong tea or vanilla) This is where Chef Whitney used the syrup she made from the Sarilla tea

For The American Buttercream:

  • 1 cup butter, softened 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or you can use the Sarilla syrup, once again
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. liquid (use milk or buttermilk or leftover pumpkin purée)

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

  2. Butter (or oil) and flour 2 large bundt pans. 

  3. Mix the buttermilk and sour cream in a bowl and set aside.

  4. Sift the dry ingredients (except the sugar) together and give a good whisk to mix well.

  5. Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for approximately 4 minutes on medium. Butter should be light in color and fluffy in texture. 

  6. Add the eggs one at a time making sure each is incorporated well before adding the next.

  7. Add the flour mixture in three batches alternating with the milk mixture. Making sure you start and end with the flour mixture. Do not over-mix, just beat until combined.

  8. Mix the pumpkin and sweet potato purées. Add to cake batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure the pumpkin is well incorporated.

    a stand mixer with batter on the paddle attachment

  9. Pour batter into bundt pans. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

  10. Allow cakes to rest in pans for about 20 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. THE SKIP DOWN TO THE CAKE ASSEMBLY PART OF THE RECIPE

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  1. Beat the butter in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes with regular bowl scraping).

  2. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth.

  3. Add in flavoring and powdered sugar. Mix until ingredients are well-incorporated and desired consistency is reached. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin. Add 1/4 tsp more liquid if frosting is too thick.

FOR THE AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM:

  1. Beat butter until extremely light and fluffy (approximately 6-8 minutes).

    whisking a buttercream in a stand mixer

  2. Add vanilla. Mix until incorporated.

  3. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time.

  4. Add milk and mix well.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE INTO AN ADORABLE PUMPKIN:

  1. Cut off the domes of the cakes by using a serrated knife. Keep the scraps (we will be using them later).

    two bundt cakes with the tops trimmed off

  2. Optional: cut each Bundt cake in half horizontally. This will give additional icing layers.

  3. Spread cream cheese frosting between cake layers making sure to line up the patterns of the Bundt cake. 

  4. Crumb coat the outside of the cake using leftover frosting. 

  5. Let the cake chill in the refrigerator about 20 minutes.

  6. Ice the outside of the cake using the American buttercream. Use a fluted pastry tip to make rosettes all over the cake as shown in the photos; or make vertical stripes using a star tip, and creating a rustic texture using the back of a spoon or offset palette knife. Chill the cake in the refrigerator. 

    frosting rosettes on the side of a cake

  7. Make the stem: mix remaining cake scraps with a little frosting at a time to form a “dough” strong enough to hold together when you squeeze it. Form a stem to sit on top of the hole of the Bundt cakes. You can decorate the stem by using brown frosting or leave it plain. 

TO SERVE:

  1. Simply cut the cake into slices as you would any other and enjoy!