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This sweet potato cake tastes like fall in every bite, topped with a cloud of toasted marshmallow meringue that's impossible to resist.
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What makes this recipe special
Everyone knows that pies claim the title for Thanksgiving dessert, but what about Christmas? I always try to mix it up and usually take the opportunity to test out a new winter dessert. So far, I've prepared a mulled wine caramel basque cheesecake and gingerbread pear donuts. This year, I'm going all out and making sweet potato cake with marshmallow meringue. But I didn't want to present just a plain sweet potato cake to the family, so I decided to top it with a marshmallow meringue. Let me just say, it was the best decision. Moist fluffy cake with caramelized marshmallow meringue? Sign me up for a slice. Or two.
You might be wondering to yourself, "But what's so special about sweet potato cake?" Well, if you like pumpkin desserts, chances are that you'll enjoy this sweet potato cake. It's like winter in a bite, I can't describe it any better than that. The warm spices, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, and mashed sweet potatoes all work together to make one incredibly moist and light cake.
Ingredients
- Mashed sweet potatoes: Provide moisture, natural sweetness, and a tender crumb to the cake. Sweet potatoes also add a beautiful orange color and earthy flavor.
- Vegetable oil: Creates an incredibly moist texture that stays soft for days.
- Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and tanginess while contributing to a tender crumb.
- Maple syrup: Provides sweetness with a distinct caramel-like flavor. You can use honey instead, if preferred.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice bring a warm, cozy flavor profile to give the cake that classic fall dessert appeal.
Substitutions and variations
- Add-ins: You can add chopped walnuts or pecans to add a nutty element or add additional spices such as ginger or pumpkin spice.
- Flavor: Try this cake with pumpkin instead of sweet potatoes.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour for the cake.
Recipe
Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Meringue
Ingredients
Sweet potato cake
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (223 grams)
- 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (188 ml)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (57 grams)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (70 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Marshmallow meringue
- 4 large egg whites, temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar (100 grams)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
- Whisk together sweet mashed potatoes with brown sugar, oil, yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the cake on a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the marshmallow meringue. Whisk together egg whites, brown sugar, and honey. Heat the egg mixture over a double boiler until the temperature reads 160 degrees F. Transfer the egg whites to a mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture with a whisk at high speed for 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the meringue on the sweet potato cake and torch the meringue until lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make cake batter
I love that even though this sweet potato cake has two components, the dessert still comes together quickly. The cake is just a matter of mixing all of the ingredients together.
To incorporate sweet potatoes, we're going to use mashed sweet potatoes. You can use the canned product or make it at home. Personally, I like to make it myself because it's cheaper and easy to prepare.
All you have to do is peel and chop the sweet potato, add it to a pot, and bring it to a boil. Continue to cook until you can easily pierce the vegetable with a fork. To yield 1 cup, you'll need one large sweet potato or 2 medium-sized ones.
Once cooled, whisk the sweet potatoes with the wet ingredients until they're completely smooth. You want the ingredients to be fully incorporated.
Once you add the dry ingredients, stir gently, only mixing just until everything is combined. You don't want to overmix the batter because that will work the gluten in the flour, and you'll end up with a tough cake.
Step 2: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges should be set when the cake is ready.
You can use an 8-inch cake pan, but keep in mind that the cake will be taller and will take longer to bake. You can also use a square 9-inch cake pan.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 3: Make meringue
While the cake is cooling, make the marshmallow meringue. I know some people have a little trouble making meringue, but if you have a thermometer, it can be easily done.
Whisk the egg whites with brown sugar and honey over a double boiler. In simpler terms, you want a small pot of simmering water and a heat-safe bowl sitting over the water with the egg whites. The bowl shouldn't be directly touching the water.
Heat the egg whites until the temperature reaches 160 degrees F, whisking occasionally. Make sure it doesn't go over 160 degrees, or the egg whites can start scrambling.
Transfer the egg whites to a mixing bowl and add the vanilla. Now it's time to whisk the whites until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes.
Recipe tip
Make sure your mixing bowl and whisk attachment are completely clean and free of any grease or oil. Even a tiny amount of fat can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly. Wipe them down with a little white vinegar or lemon juice if needed.
And there you go! Marshmallow meringue ready in minutes. Not too difficult, right?
Step 4: Putting it all together
Use a spatula and spread the meringue evenly on the cake. If you want those beautiful swoops, use the back of the spoon.
It may seem like too much meringue, but what can I say? I like to go big or go home. Plus, the cake isn't too sweet, so the meringue complements it perfectly.
Torch the meringue, and you are ready to serve this beauty of a cake.
One bite of this beauty and I can feel the warmth of the season surrounding me. The cake itself is incredibly moist and soft with a subtle hint of sweet potato. And that gorgeous topping? It's the perfect pairing.
Now it's time to wait and see what the family thinks about this sweet potato cake with marshmallow meringue. Hopefully, they'll enjoy it as much as I did!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Bake the cake layer 1-2 days ahead and store it covered at room temperature. Then make and apply the meringue just before serving.
- Store: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the meringue will weep and lose its texture over time.
Frequently asked questions
You can brown the meringue under your oven's broiler. Place the cake on the top rack and broil for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. The meringue can also be left untorched.
Heating the egg whites to 160°F pasteurizes them, making them safe to eat without further cooking. This is especially important since the meringue isn't fully baked.
You can freeze the sweet potato cake, but make fresh meringue and top the cake right before serving. This dessert can be held in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Francine says
I was worried this cake was going to be hard to make but it was actually pretty easy! The cake itself was super soft and the meringue made it special. I would definitely make this again!
Christine Ma says
I agree, it looks harder than it actually is! So glad it turned out well