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close-up of a slice of moist sweet potato cake with cream cheese frosting, topped with chopped pecans and dried cranberries.

Moist Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Lisa
Topped with toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and sweetened orange slices, this Moist Sweet Potato Cake is both beautiful and delicious—perfect for holidays, celebrations, or whenever you're craving a cozy dessert.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12
Calories 293 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (fresh or frozen, cooked & mashed)
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup toasted chopped pecans

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
  • ½ cup butter (room temperature)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

For Garnish:

  • ¼ cup chopped dried sweetened orange slices
  • ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions
 

Prepare the Cake Batter

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
  • In a bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, warm spices, and salt. In another bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, oil, and applesauce until smooth, then add eggs one at a time.
  • Stir in mashed sweet potatoes, then gently mix in dry ingredients. Fold in toasted pecans for crunch.

Bake the Cake

  • Divide batter between pans and bake for 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Make the Frosting

  • Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in orange juice and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
  • Spread frosting over one cake layer, stack the second, and frost the top and sides evenly. Garnish with dried orange slices, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries, then dust lightly with sugar.
  • Slice and serve at room temperature for the perfect blend of warm spices, creamy frosting, and crunchy pecans in every bite.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 91gProtein: 7gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 450mgPotassium: 199mgFiber: 3gSugar: 62gVitamin A: 3483IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Sweet Potato Cake
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