SWEET POTATO AND CRANBERRY CAKE

SWEET POTATO AND CRANBERRY CAKE image

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 17

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups cooked, mashed plain sweet potatoes*
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans, toasted
3/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
Powdered sugar (optional)

Steps:

Grease and lightly flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside. 2. In a very large mixing bowl, beat sweet potatoes and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Beat in sugar. Add flour mixture, beating until combined. Fold in walnuts and cranberries. 3. Transfer one-third (about 2-1/2 cups) of the batter to a large bowl; stir in melted chocolate. Spoon half of the remaining plain batter into the prepared tube pan. Spoon chocolate batter over batter in pan. Spoon remaining plain batter over chocolate batter. Gently draw a table knife or thin metal spatula through the batters to marble them slightly. 4. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; invert cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely. 5. If you like, sift powdered sugar over cake just before serving. Note * For 2 cups mashed, plain sweet potatoes, peel 1 pound sweet potatoes. Cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Cook potato pieces, covered, in enough boiling water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain well. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer until smooth.