Grandma's Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Icing

  This recipe was labled " good cakes" by my grandma at the top.  It does sound pretty good to me too, but I must admit I have not tried it. Her cakes were often the first ones to be gobbled up at family gatherings and I sometimes missed out seeing it or getting a taste. Also, as a kid I would have turned my nose up at the thought of eating anything made with sweet potatoes.  Since I loved pumpkin bread, I probably would have liked this cake too - if only I had been willing to try it.  

I can not remember my Grandma ever making an elegant 4-layer cake (2 or 3 layers, but not 4) using an 8-inch pan.  I assume she more than likely made it as 2 shorter cakes, or did 3-layers with 9-inch pans, or did it as sheet cake.  As two cakes, it would go further for her large family gatherings or allow her to share it with someone needy at church or with her beloved pastor.  

I found online Bundt cake versions which baked about 50 minutes using grated sweet potatoes or 30 minutes using pre-cooked mashed sweet potatoes. Many of the easy recipes for frosting on-line used marshmallow fluff instead of mini marshmallows, but the other ingredients were different for Grandma's so you would need to do a search if you want to try that instead.  

Sweet Potato Cake

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups [peeled] grated sweet potatoes
2 cups chopped pecans
3/4 cup buttermilk

Steps:

1. Grate sweet potatoes and chop pecans before prepping cake mix.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In large bowl, beat oil, sugar, and eggs about 5 minutes thoroughly.
4. Stir in sweet potatoes and nuts.
5. In another bowl, sift flour with spices and soda.
6. Combine sugar [wet] mixture with flour [dry] mxture, alternating with buttermilk.
7. Bake in 4 layer pans [greased and floured or coated with baking spray]. Bake a 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 300 degrees and bake until done [maybe a total of 40 minutes] or when toothpick put in center comes out clean.  
8. Allow to cool.

Marshmmallow Icing

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 - 8 oz. package mini marshmallows
Optional: Chopped pecans for granishing top

Steps:

1. Cook sugar, cream, and maple flavoring to soft ball stage.
2. Add marshmallows and beat until spreading consistency.

Travel and Storing Tips:  

• If you are planning to take the cake somewhere, place it in the refrigerator until icing hardens so you can cover the cake without it sticking to wrap.
• If you want to freeze the cake whole, it may be best to not to frost it until it is thawed.  However, a frosted cake may be frozen in slices to bring out individually when desired.