Ingredients

The following ingredients have 11 Servings
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, which should yield 2 ½ cups mashed once cooked
  • Shortening and flour to grease two 9” cake pans
  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup all natural apple sauce
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 Gala apple peeled, cored and chopped, about one cup
  • 1 cup pecans chopped to rice sized pieces
  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/3 cup butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup pecans chopped to rice-sized pieces
  • ½ cup pecans, left whole

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Prepare two 9” round cakes pans by greasing with shortening and dusting with flour. Set aside.
  • Bake sweet potatoes until very soft. Remove and discard skin and mash the potatoes. Set aside to cool.
  • In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter for one minute on medium until pale in color.
  • Add both sugars and cream to combine.
  • Turn mixer on low and add one egg at a time, mixing and scraping sides as you go.
  • Add vanilla and apple sauce along with cooled sweet potato and mix to combine.
  • With mixer running, slowly add flour until combined.
  • Remove from mixer and fold in raisins, apple and nuts by hand.
  • Divide mixture between the two prepared pans, smoothing tops with an off set spatula.
  • Bake in center of oven for 50 minutes. Place a tooth pick in center and if it comes out clean, remove the cakes from the oven. If not done, bake for a few more minutes then test again.
  • Cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Place a rack over each pan and invert and lift off the pan. Repeat for second cake and cool completely.
  • To make the icing, place cream cheese, butter, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice in a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat until totally combined, scraping sides as needed.
  • Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed to avoid a powdered sugar dust cloud. Set aside.
  • To assemble, place a little frosting on your cake dish or plate so that the cake doesn’t slide.
  • Invert one cake onto the dab of frosting. Mix the ½ cup of chopped nuts with one cup of icing and smear over the top with an off set spatula.
  • Place the second cake on top and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing.
  • Decorate the top of the cake with the whole pecans. Serve or refrigerate until ready for service.