A.K.A. The best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.
I only wish I could take credit for this recipe.
While at the FoodBuzz Festival this fall I met Mai @ Butter and a Pinch of Salt. She recently posted a link to this cake recipe and declared it the best cake she’s ever made. Knowing she’s an accomplished baker, I had to try this out for myself.
Christmas is the perfect time to make the most fattening cake ever to share with friends and family!
This cake is incredibly moist thanks to the sweet potato. The texture silky beyond your wildest dreams. The toasted marshmallow layer is insanely good – especially when you get a little crunchy bit. And the buttercream… I’ll just say that the bowl I mixed it in was clean before we put it in the dishwasher.
In the interest of full-disclosure, There are a few negatives to this deliciousness.
The Downside:
- It took forever to make – I think I spent 4 hours on it
- There are 5 sticks of butter in it
- The Swiss buttercream icing can be tricky…
I had to make it twice. - Splitting cakes to make the layers may induce a heart attack
- It is addicting
All of that aside, you should make this cake at least once. I know I’ll be making it again next year.
Some Notes/Tips:
- Freeze the cake layers before trying to split it
- When she says don’t let the water boil while making the icing… trust her
- Don’t skimp on the pecans
- Add more ginger pieces in the cake
- Don’t stay home alone with it if you can’t be trusted around desserts
like me
The best desserts of the night posing together: Sweet Potato Pie and Red Velvet Cakes
I have to agree with Mai – this is the best cake I have ever made. One of my tasters said “it’s the perfect combination of a pie in cake!” Indeed.
Recipe credit goes to my new idol – Sweetapolita. Click here to unlock her secrets.
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This is a once a year cake… but I’m already counting down the days until next year.
What is the most time-consuming food item you’ve ever made?
Was it worth it?
I once made some cinnamon rolls that took like two days. LOL.
I did that last year – they can be insane!
OMG, this looks incredible. 5 sticks?!
My (read: Alton Brown’s) overnight cinnamon rolls take a while but are totally worth it.
WHOA!! 5 sticks of butter?! Holy butter batman!
This looks wonderful, I am so jealous that this isn’t sitting in front of me right now!
I’ve not been successful at cakes just yet, but this looks amazing. I love marshmellow’s in cake and in frostings, so decidant.
That’s part of the reason it took so long – cake baking is NOT my string point so I was really moving slow.
sounds HEAVANLY!
Splitting the layers may induce a heart attack, but they’re so darn pretty! I’m sure it’s delicious.
My great grandmother’s apple pie recipe is always a pain to make, but it’s always worth it… probably because I only do it once a year.
I bet that is one amazing pie though! Grandma recipes are the best. 🙂
FIVE sticks of butter?!?!?!?! Mamma mia!
I eyed Maissa’s version in awe when she did it, and now I’m gazing at yours with the same wonderment… I am NOT a baker, so I don’t know if I could ever turn out such a wonderful masterpiece… props to you, friend! Also, if 5 sticks of butter is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
You totally could! Baking is all about following the directions. I had to fight myself not to start getting “creative.” 😉
I’m not sure I like you any more….posting something delicious that isn’t part of my diet for the next month., boooooo
Diet?! Say it ain’t so, Glutton!
Well a “gluttonous” diet. 😉
Darnit, I was really really hoping that it would be gluten free. And I agree with Christin, 5 sticks of butter? Meh… sounds pretty darn RIGHT to me if the result is this beauty!
I bet you could make it gluten-free! The cake itself isn’t terribly sensitive.
Oh my goossh that does look like an amazing best-thing-I’ve-ever-eaten recipe!! Yum!
Sweet potato cake??? Oh my! And 5 sticks of butter, well let’s just hope it makes a really big cake haha.
It’s HUGE and you can’t really eat more than 1/2 a slice because it’s so rich.
Oh my!!! Laura, this looks like the best cake ever! Please send me a huge slice!!
LOL! Thank you! I wish I could send everyone a slice. It was one ridiculous cake.
Oh my goodness it looks so amazing. I bet it was so delicious!!
oh wow! this looks and sounds delicious. i don’t have the patience to spend 5 hours on a cake though…can you make it for me please?! 🙂
Come on over next year! 🙂
Okay, that cake looks amazing. I so would not be able to make it that pretty or have the patience to take all that time to make it OR……. not eat like 3 pieces of it at a time. LOL. 🙂
I would like to request that cake for the party that you may some day cater for me. He he! 🙂
You are so talented – you could totally do it! But, consider it DONE for the future catering gig. 🙂
I’m at a loss for words at the amazingness of this cake . . .
Okay, i’ll be blunt – I don’t trust this marshmallow thing. I have not encountered marshmallows in any form other than rice krispie treats that I could stomach. Now, sweet potato cake? Sign me up! It looks like you did a beautiful job of layering, too 🙂
Haha – you can always use regular frosting… but they are really amazing toasted in here.
Thank you!
Wow girl. You totally went for it….and nailed it! That cake is gorgeous and I love anything sweet potato, so this is a must try for me. The most time I’ve spent in the kitchen??? Making 265 petit fours that were glazed with poured fondant, layered with marzipan, raspberry puree and buttercream and piped with initials on top. Party favors for my own wedding. Let’s just say I wasn’t totally sane by the end of that project.
You deserve a medal for making all of those for your OWN wedding. I’m impressed (and a little amazed you didn’t end up in the nut house 😉 ).
triple wow! This is amazing! I am finally in the mood for cake again 🙂
It looks fantastic! I’m so proud of you! And check out the smooth edges on the frosting! Well done!
Isn’t the cake life-changing? And isn’t sweetapolita’s blog unbelievable???? yeah, I kinda want to be her.
And yes, the five sticks of butter are so totally worth it.
Thanks! I think I held my breath the whole time I iced this cake. LOL!
Yes, it is life-changing and YES Sweetapolita rocks and yes the 5 sticks are worth it… additionally, you rock too. 🙂
I made sweet potato and toasted marshmallow cupcackes for Christmas, they were soo good, I can only imagine how good it was in cake form!
Cupcakes sounds like a wonderful idea! And probably much easier to ice. 🙂