SWEET POTATO BREAD WITH CARAMEL AND ALEPPO-SPICED PECANS

Sweet Potato Bread with Caramel and Aleppo-Spiced Pecans image

Provided by Gerardo Gonzalez

Yield Makes 6 portions, makes 1 small loaf

Number Of Ingredients 17

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1 pound sweet potatoes (about 1 large potato)
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dark-brown sugar
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Butter, for greasing loaf pan
3 tablespoons store-bought caramel sauce or dulce de leche
1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Special equipment:
9" x 5" loaf pan

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400°F minutes. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until soft and cooked through, 50 to 60 minutes. Scoop out flesh into a blender or food processor; discard skin. Add milk and purée until smooth. Scrape the potato mixture into a medium bowl and return 1 1/3 cups of the mixture to the blender. Add eggs, oil, vanilla, and dark brown sugar and purée until smooth. Scrape into a large bowl.
Lower the oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three batches to avoid overworking the flour. Make sure batter is fully mixed.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in oven, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours.
Run the dull side of a bread knife along the inner edges of the loaf pan. Unmold the bread and drizzle with caramel. Sprinkle with sea salt, Aleppo pepper, and pecans before serving.