How to Make Sweet Potato Cake for Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a time to celebrate, amongst other things, the abundance of the harvest. In many West African countries the yam is a common vegetable, but in the United States the sweet potato is more readily available so many American recipes feature this close cousin to the yam instead. This dense, rich sweet potato cake with its sweet, citrus frosting is a favorite in my hometown, Washington, D.C. Read on to learn how to make sweet potato cake for Kwanzaa.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1 large orange
• 1 large lemon
• Chopped peanuts (optional)

Making the Cake

1. Cream the sugar and butter together. Mix in the sweet potatoes, continuing to beat until the mixture is fluffy and light.

2. Add the first egg, then beat well until it is thoroughly mixed in. Repeat the process with each egg until all of them are mixed into the cake batter.

3. Mix the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon, and stir the dry mixture into the cake batter a cup at a time. Stir the vanilla, pecans and shredded coconut into the batter.

4. Pour the batter into a lightly-greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake the cake at 350 degrees for an hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Making the Frosting

5. Grate the rind from the lemon and the orange. Mix the grated rind into the powdered sugar.

6. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and orange. Strain the juice and mix it into the sugar a little at a time until it is the right consistency to spread easily.

7. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake while it is still warm. If you like, you may sprinkle the frosting with chopped peanuts.