I am not sure anything could be more Thanksgiving than cranberries and sweet potatoes. I have to have both on the table, or it just isn’t Thanksgiving. So as an additional treat, I created this lovely cake that is seasonal, delicious and lovely to look at. Butter and sugar on the bottom of the dish create a lovely caramel coating for the tangy cranberries, which burst creating a thin line of almost pudding like cake resting atop a tender cake-y crumb, all flavored with earthy sweet potato and autumnal spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg. Turn this beauty out onto a platter and the vibrant orange base with the jeweled cranberries floating on top is a beautiful presentation.
Absolutely butter the pan generously – do not skip, thinking cooking spray is a shortcut. Rub it into every corner and crevice of the pan and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom. The combination of butter and sugar is what caramelizes the berries. Spread the berries across the bottom as tightly as you can to cover the surface. The layer doesn’t have to be flatly even – a few berries can stick up – but you don’t want to see the bottom of the pan before you add the batter. For the mashed sweet potatoes, I microwave two medium potatoes until soft, scooped out the flesh into a small food processor and blended until smooth. Let the pan sit out of the oven for 5 minutes, then flip it onto a platter and leave the pan on the cake to sit so the berries and caramel will detach. I prefer this made the day it is served, but covered it can keep on the counter for a day.
Ingredients
- For the Cranberries
2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
12 ounces fresh cranberries
- For the Cake
5 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups mashed sweet potato *
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup buttermilk
Directions
- For the Cranberries
- Rub the butter all over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan. Use all the butter and coat every surface well, making sure you get into the corners. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan, tapping the side of the pan with your palm to even out the layer. Arrange the cranberries in an even layer over the sugar. It will not be one single layer, some berries will rest on top, but do your best so you don’t see the bottom of the pan.
- For the Cake
- Beat the butter and the sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium high until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the vanilla and the sweet potato and beat until well combined, scraping the sides. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices and beat to combine. Add the buttermilk and beat on low to create a smooth batter, scraping the bowl.
- Use a large spoon to dollop the batter in an even layer over the cranberries in the pan. You don’t want to disturb the berries too much. When the batter is dolloped, spread it out to evenly fill the pan, then bang the pan on the counter a few times to even it all out. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when you lightly press the surface. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then place a platter over the top of the pan and, wearing oven mitts, carefully flip the platter and the pan over. Leave the pan on top for about 20 minutes, then gently lift it off. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature.
Notes
- For the mashed sweet potatoes, I microwaved two medium potatoes until soft, scooped out the flesh into a small food processor and blended until smooth.
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