That Girl Can Cook!: November 2010

This delicious pound cake is a sensational choice for using up leftover mashed sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving dinner. The cake is moist and has the perfect combination of spices to please your palette.

This Sweet Potato Cake uses a Bundt pan which are generally used for baking the denser batters of coffee cakes and sweet cake. Their fluted sides and greater surface area produce more crust, which is desirable in cakes of this type. The tube in the middle of the pan promotes even baking as well as makes the cake easier to slice.

If you decide to use a different cake pan then please keep in mind that baking time is likely to be shorter if you use a shallow pan. Regardless of the pans shape, you can use a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake and when the skewer comes out clean, the cake is done.

SWEET POTATO POUND CAKE

Ingredients:
Pam© nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups organic granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups of leftover mashed sweet potatoes (substitute 2 cups of canned yams)
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray 10 inch Bundt pan with Pam© cooking spray.

Using a medium bowl: Sift together flours; baking powder; cinnamon; nutmeg; baking soda & salt.
Using a large bowl and mixer: Mix together butter, sugars and until creamy. Mix in sweet potatoes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Slowly add the flour mixture into creamed ingredients. Add vanilla, nuts, and coconut. Mix until all ingredients equally combined.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until cake tests done. Sift powerded sugar over top of cake when cooled or glaze while still warm with icing.

POWDERED SUGAR ICING RECIPE >> CLICK HERE

It's hard to believe that it's almost Thanksgiving again...where does the time go? I've been baking up a storm the past few weeks and have not been very good at keeping this blog up to date...please accept my apologies. Since I received my new Hamilton Beach Eclectrics All-Metal Stand Mixer in Sugar from CSNStores.com I've been certainly enjoying baking much more - it really does help to have good kitchen equipment to use! Read my review of the Stand Mixer on my other blog>> READ NOW

Besides whipping up some yummy treats I have also been working on organizing my kitchen areas. I've found that by putting my ingredients into clear glass jars with descriptions printed inside the lids that it makes it quicker; which equals easier. My daughter loves to bake and cook when she visits so by having everything easily accessible she will be able to find ingredients without rummaging through the pantry.

Part of my kitchen organization also included removing the doors on the kitchen cabinet which houses our everyday dishes. I wasn't sure if I would like it or not; however I'm finding that it is much easier to grab plates and bowls with much less effort, so my aching shoulders and arms are much less painful after cooking. When my dream kitchen becomes reality I'll definitely have a few open shelves!

This pumpkin cake recipe is extremely moist and was just as delicious on the fourth day as the first (kept covered in the fridge). It reminded me of pumpkin bread with frosting - YUM! We ate it up so quickly that I totally forgot to get a picture for you. If raisins aren't your "thing" then feel free to substitute them with chopped pecans, walnuts, dried cranberries or whatever you wish. How about some Frosted Pumpkin Spice cookies? RECIPE HERE

Thank you to aloshbennett of Flickr for the pic!

Cinnamon Pumpkin Cake
Recipe by: Marie Rhoades of That Girl Can Cook!©

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated organic sugar (or regular sugar)
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup raisins, walnuts or pecans (use what you prefer)

Directions:

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl: flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl: Mix together butter, eggs and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the pumpkin. Beat in the flour mixture until creamy. Stir in the raisins (or nuts).
Pour cake batter into your prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cake cool on a wire rack and frost when completely cooled

Sour Creme Frosting Recipe from AllRecipes.com >> VIEW NOW

Join us at Metamorphosis Monday!!