Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sweet Potato Cake
Experience the Divine Sweetness: Homemade Sweet Potato Cake Recipe
This cake boasts a delightfully sweet and velvety sweet potato cream, making it a perfect dessert for everyone. It’s especially favored by elders for its rich flavor and comforting texture. Create cherished moments with loved ones by baking this special cake at home.
Cake Base (Genoise)- 5 Eggs
- 110g Unrefined Brown Sugar
- 30g Honey
- 125g All-purpose Flour (e.g., ‘Uri-mil’ brand)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 25g Butter
- 20g Grapeseed Oil
Custard Cream- 3 Egg Yolks
- 50g Unrefined Brown Sugar
- 20g All-purpose Flour
- 250cc Milk
- 1 (5cm) Vanilla Bean
- 10g Butter
Sweet Potato Mousse- 500g Steamed and Mashed Sweet Potatoes (e.g., ‘Hobak’ variety)
- 20g Butter
- 20g Honey
- 200g Custard Cream
- 120g Heavy Cream (for whipping)
Syrup and Decoration- 40cc Water
- 20g Unrefined Brown Sugar
- Heavy Cream (for frosting, as needed)
- Unrefined Brown Sugar (10% of cream’s weight for frosting)
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 50g Unrefined Brown Sugar
- 20g All-purpose Flour
- 250cc Milk
- 1 (5cm) Vanilla Bean
- 10g Butter
Sweet Potato Mousse- 500g Steamed and Mashed Sweet Potatoes (e.g., ‘Hobak’ variety)
- 20g Butter
- 20g Honey
- 200g Custard Cream
- 120g Heavy Cream (for whipping)
Syrup and Decoration- 40cc Water
- 20g Unrefined Brown Sugar
- Heavy Cream (for frosting, as needed)
- Unrefined Brown Sugar (10% of cream’s weight for frosting)
- 40cc Water
- 20g Unrefined Brown Sugar
- Heavy Cream (for frosting, as needed)
- Unrefined Brown Sugar (10% of cream’s weight for frosting)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the cake base (Genoise) the day before. Slice it to about 1.2-1.5cm thickness and cut out two rounds to fit your cake mold. These will form the layers of your cake.
Step 2
Trim the browned edges from the remaining Genoise, then sift it to create fine breadcrumbs. These will be used for decorating the cake later. For the syrup, combine water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then transfer to another bowl to cool completely.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the smooth custard cream. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth and free of lumps. Add the unrefined brown sugar and mix well. Then, sift in the all-purpose flour and whisk until thoroughly combined, ensuring no lumps remain.
Step 4
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds. In a saucepan, combine the milk, the vanilla bean pod, and the scraped seeds. Heat until it just begins to boil, then remove from heat. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously to prevent the yolks from cooking.
Step 5
Strain the combined mixture through a fine-mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth texture. Return it to the saucepan and place over low heat. Stir continuously to prevent sticking and cook until it reaches your desired thickness.
Step 6
The custard is ready when it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and flows off in thick dollops, not runny. Stir in the butter until fully incorporated. Pour the custard into a shallow dish and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
Step 7
You can expedite the cooling process by placing the bowl of custard cream in an ice bath. This ensures it’s nicely chilled before being mixed into the sweet potato mousse.
Step 8
Now, let’s prepare the sweet potato mousse. Steam the sweet potatoes until very tender. While still warm, peel them and mash them thoroughly. You can aim for a silky smooth puree or leave a few small chunks for texture, according to your preference.
Step 9
Once the mashed sweet potato has cooled slightly, gently fold in 200g of the chilled custard cream until well combined. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until it reaches about 90% stiffness – soft peaks that hold their shape but are not stiff.
Step 10
Carefully fold the whipped cream into the sweet potato and custard mixture. Mix gently to maintain the airiness, creating a light and luscious sweet potato mousse. This mousse is the heart of the cake’s delightful texture.
Step 11
Line the inside of your round cake ring with a acetate cake collar for easy removal. Place one prepared Genoise round at the bottom. Generously brush it with the cooled syrup to moisten. Then, carefully fill the ring halfway with the sweet potato mousse.
Step 12
Add the second Genoise round on top of the mousse, brush it with syrup, and then fill the remainder of the ring with the sweet potato mousse. Smooth the top surface with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the cake to set.
Step 13
Remove the cake from the refrigerator and carefully peel away the acetate collar. Whip the heavy cream for frosting with unrefined brown sugar (about 10% of the cream’s weight) until stiff peaks form. Apply a smooth layer of this frosting all over the outside of the cake.
Step 14
Gently press the reserved Genoise breadcrumbs onto the top and sides of the cake, ensuring they adhere well. Decorate as desired with fresh fruit or mint leaves to complete your beautiful sweet potato cake.
Step 15
I had hoped to coat the sides more generously with breadcrumbs, but they kept falling off, which was a bit disappointing. I was concerned that trying too hard would cause everything to crumble, so I decided to stop here. Hopefully, the slightly sparser coating on the sides adds its own unique charm!
