White Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake with Macadamia Nuts

I love everything about Thanksgiving, except one thing: PUMPKIN PIE. Every year though, I give it a new try. I still don't like it, but really wish I did. 

I also have a food I LOVE. It's been my favorite since I was in diapers (and that was looooong ago)... 

sweet potatoes. 

So, for me, this delicious sweet potato cake is perfect for Fall {and even Thanksgiving dinner for you fellow pumpkin pie haters}.

I found this recipe in a Martha Stewart magazine several years ago, and adapted it a bit. The white chocolate mousse on the spiced sweet potato cake is scrumptious, and the macadamia nuts make it heavenly. It's been a winner every time I've made it.

Want to give it a try?

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil, divided

shortening and flour for pans

2 cups cake flour

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons brandy extract (Smith's has it, Walmart does not)

1 1/2 cups unsalted macadamia nuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

1 pound white chocolate

2 cups heavy cream

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat potatoes with 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil. Place on baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Cool, remove skin, and mash with fork. Taste it now because, wow, delicious. Then use the rest for the cake.

2. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. (Or put sweet potato puree in fridge, and make cake later). Prepare  2 round cake pans (8 by 1 1/2 inch)  with shortening and flour. Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy (about 5 minutes).

Add 1 cup of vegetable oil. Beat on medium speed until combined.

Add sweet potatoes. Mix until combined.

4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix into batter. Add vanilla and brandy extract until combined. Fold in 1 cup macadamia nuts by hand.

5. Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. After 10 minutes invert cakes on to wire rack. Cool about  1 hour and a half.

6. While cake is baking, chop white chocolate into small pieces. Bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a boil. Pour over chopped chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Chill 40-45 minutes.

7. When chocolate is totally cooled, pour 1 cup of heavy cream into electric mixer. Whip until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Stir whipped heavy cream into chocolate mixture. Mix well.

8. Cut each cake in half horizontally. There will be 4 layers. Set the first layer on a cake board (a cardboard circle which fits the cake- I also cover it with foil, just for looks).

9. Spread chocolate mousse on first layer. Then continue with each layer.

Continue to frost sides and top of cake.

10. Sprinkle remaining macadamia nuts on cake.

11. Make some chocolate curls. Find out how here.

Sprinkle on cake.

Serve and enjoy!!

XO, Nancy