Sweet Potato Pound Cake

I love sweet potatoes. I love them baked the best, either plain or with a little bit of butter. Good sweet potatoes don't need much help in the sweetness department. (Unless you're talking sweet potato pie. My mama makes the best sweet potato pie in the universe. She leaves out all of those spices that make it a pumpkin pie "wannabe." But I digress.) This cake...sugar,spices and all... has me smitten. The orange juice glaze perfectly complements the spicy goodness of the sweet potatoes, and just makes me want another slice. Evil cake. Someone gave my mama the recipe and she shared it with me. It has sweet potatoes in it doesn't it? It just has to be good for you.

Guess who took this picture? It's from a 4 year old's eye view!

Sweet Potato Pound Cake
(printable recipe)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
4 eggs from happy hens
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. lemon extract

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add potatoes and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time: beat well after adding each egg.
• Add dry ingredients, then vanilla and lemon.
• Beat well and pour into greased and floured tube pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees or 1 hr. 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Glaze with a mixture of 1 cup confectioners sugar and 2-3 tblsp. orange juice.