Sweet potato pound cake is a buttery Bundt cake made with smooth sweet potato puree, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped pecans. This version gets a thick, creamy buttermilk glaze and a generous pecan topping-a lovely cake for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving dessert, or a slice beside your afternoon coffee.
The two details to keep an eye on are the pan and the glaze. Use the tested 16-cup Bundt or angel Bundt pan, coat every crevice well, and let the cake cool completely before spooning on the glaze. The pecans are divided: half goes into the batter, and half is sprinkled over the glazed cake.
Ingredients You'll Need
You'll need the following ingredients; the full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Salted butter: Softened for the cake and melted for the glaze.
- Granulated sugar and dark brown sugar: Cream both sugars with the butter.
- Sweet potato puree: Plain, smooth, cooked, and completely cooled.
- Eggs and buttermilk: Bring them to room temperature as directed.
- Vanilla bean paste: Used in both the cake and glaze.
- All-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking soda: Whisk together before adding to the batter.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: Warm spices for the sweet potato cake.
- Chopped pecans: Divide between the batter and the finished glaze topping.
- Powdered sugar: The base of the creamy glaze.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Use plain sweet potato rather than a prepared side dish with butter, sugar, or seasonings. The Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Streusel Topping is a separate dish, not a shortcut for this puree.
Light brown sugar can replace the dark brown sugar; dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses flavor. Walnuts can replace the pecans, and lightly toasted nuts should cool completely before being added.
Tools That Make It Easier
I use these tools when I make sweet potato pecan pound cake: Oven, 16-cup Bundt or angel Bundt pan, Measuring cups and spoons, Medium mixing bowl, Large mixing bowl and hand mixer, Whisk, Rubber spatula, Wooden pick, Wire cooling rack, Serving plate, Small glaze bowl, Spoon for glazing. A blender or food processor is optional if your cooked sweet potato needs smoothing.
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Buy Now → How To Make Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Start with a well-coated pan, mix the batter without overworking it, and save the topping pecans until the cake is glazed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Prepare the pan and ingredients. Heat the oven to 350°F; thoroughly grease and flour the 16-cup pan, including its tube and crevices, and whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Have the smooth, cooled sweet potato puree ready and divide the pecans into two equal portions.
Step 2 - Cream and add the sweet potato. Beat the softened salted butter with the granulated and dark brown sugars until creamy, then mix in the sweet potato puree. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping the bowl as needed.
Step 3 - Finish the batter. Mix in half the flour mixture on low, then the buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour mixture and vanilla bean paste, just until combined. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans by hand and stop before overmixing.
Step 4 - Fill and bake. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes. Check the thickest portion with a wooden pick; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Step 5 - Cool and unmold. Set the pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto the rack or a serving plate. Let it cool completely before glazing.
Step 6 - Glaze and top with pecans. Whisk powdered sugar, melted salted butter, and vanilla bean paste, adding room-temperature buttermilk a small amount at a time until smooth and thick enough to drizzle. Spoon it over the cooled cake, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup pecans, and let the glaze set before slicing.
Tips for a Thick, Creamy Glaze
Start with only a small splash of buttermilk and add more by the teaspoon. You want a thick drizzle that settles over the cake rather than a thin liquid that runs straight onto the plate; powdered sugar can turn from glaze to sweet soup in a hurry.
The cake must be completely cool before glazing. Spoon the glaze over the top, let it follow the spiral ridges naturally, and add the reserved pecans before allowing it to set.
A Few Mistakes To Avoid
- Chunky or warm puree: Smooth the plain cooked sweet potato and cool it completely before mixing.
- Overmixed batter: Use low speed for the flour additions and fold the pecans in by hand.
- A cake that sticks: Coat the center tube and all crevices, then allow the 15-20 minute in-pan cooling period before inverting.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Store the glazed cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving.
Can You Make Sweet Potato Pound Cake Ahead?
For best results, freeze before glazing. Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, and glaze before serving.
What To Serve With Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Serve this cake at room temperature with coffee, hot tea, or cold milk. For a gathering, Coffee Punch is a companion drink; Irish Coffee offers another coffee pairing for adults.
Classic Hot Buttered Rum
Coffee Punch
Irish Coffee
For a holiday menu, browse Southern Thanksgiving Recipes and keep the cake as the dessert finish.
FAQs
Can I use leftover sweet potato casserole in this pound cake?
Use plain cooked sweet potato puree instead. Added sugar, butter, and seasonings in a casserole would change the supplied recipe.
Are the topping pecans baked into the cake?
No. Fold 1 cup into the batter and reserve the remaining 1 cup to sprinkle over the glaze after the cake has cooled completely.
Can I use a smaller Bundt pan?
The tested recipe specifies a 16-cup Bundt or angel Bundt pan. A smaller-pan conversion and different baking time have not been supplied, so keep that capacity for this recipe.
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Recipe
PrintSweet Potato Pecan Pound Cake with Buttermilk-Pecan Glaze
This sweet potato pound cake combines warm cinnamon and nutmeg with chopped pecans, then finishes with a thick, creamy buttermilk glaze and a pecan topping.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 Bundt cake, about 12-16 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Pecan Cake
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato puree, cooled
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups chopped pecans, divided
Buttermilk Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Buttermilk, as needed for consistency
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Thoroughly grease and flour a 16-cup Bundt or angel Bundt pan, making sure the center tube and all crevices are coated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Measure the sweet potato puree and make sure it is smooth and completely cooled before adding it to the batter.
- Divide the chopped pecans into two equal portions: 1 cup for the batter and 1 cup to sprinkle over the glaze.
Make the Cake Batter
- Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl until creamy and well combined.
- Mix in the sweet potato puree until evenly incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add about half of the flour mixture and mix on low just until incorporated.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix briefly.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and vanilla. Mix on low just until the batter comes together. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold 1 cup of the chopped pecans into the batter by hand.
Assemble and Bake
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the thickest portion of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Place the cake in its pan on a wire rack and cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- Carefully invert the cake onto the rack or a serving plate and allow it to cool completely before glazing.
Make the Buttermilk-Pecan Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted salted butter, and vanilla bean paste.
- Add room-temperature buttermilk a small amount at a time, whisking after each addition, until the glaze is smooth and thick enough to drizzle.
- Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the reserved 1 cup chopped pecans.
- Allow the glaze to set before slicing.
Notes
Timing: Bake for 45-55 minutes. The cooking-time field uses the upper end of that tested range. Cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then cool completely before glazing and allow the glaze to set before slicing. Prep plus baking is 70-80 minutes; cooling and glaze-setting time are additional.
Sweet Potato: Use plain cooked and mashed sweet potato without added butter, sugar, or seasonings. For the smoothest pound cake texture, puree the sweet potato rather than leaving it chunky.
Brown Sugar: Either light or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar contributes a deeper molasses flavor.
Pecans: Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans. For more pronounced nutty flavor, lightly toast the nuts and cool them completely before adding them to the batter.
Glaze Consistency: Begin with only a small splash of buttermilk. Add additional buttermilk by the teaspoon until the glaze drizzles easily but remains thick and creamy.
Serving: Serve at room temperature with coffee, hot tea, or cold milk. A good dessert for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, or holiday brunch.
Storage: Store the glazed cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving.
Freezing: For best results, freeze before glazing. Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, and glaze before serving.
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