🍠 Grandma’s Southern Sweet Potato Pound Cake
A true Southern classic, this rich and buttery Sweet Potato Pound Cake is wonderfully moist, warmly spiced, and packed with the comforting flavor of sweet potatoes. Perfect with coffee after dinner, on a holiday dessert table, or simply sliced and enjoyed as an old-fashioned homemade treat.
⏱ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour 10 minutes–1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours
Servings: 12–16 slices
Difficulty: Easy–Medium
Ingredients
🍠 Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- 1½ cups (about 340 g) mashed cooked sweet potatoes
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, if needed for consistency
🤍 Optional Vanilla Glaze
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional Garnish
- Chopped toasted pecans
- Ground cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
If you haven’t prepared the sweet potatoes yet, bake or boil them until completely tender.
Allow them to cool slightly, remove the skins, and mash until smooth.
Measure 1½ cups of mashed sweet potato and set aside.
Tip:
For the richest flavor, bake rather than boil the sweet potatoes. Baking concentrates their natural sweetness and keeps excess moisture out of the cake.
2. Prepare the Pan & Oven
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
Generously grease a 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan, making sure to coat all the grooves.
Dust lightly with flour and tap out the excess.
🧈 Make the Pound Cake Batter
3. Cream the Butter & Sugar
Place the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat on medium speed for approximately 4–5 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale, light, and fluffy.
This is an important step for a classic pound cake texture.
4. Add the Eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
5. Add the Sweet Potatoes
Add the mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla extract.
Mix on low speed just until combined.
The batter may look slightly thick at this point.
6. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger, if using
7. Alternate Flour & Buttermilk
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk.
Begin and end with the dry ingredients:
Flour → buttermilk → flour → buttermilk → flour
Mix on low speed just until the batter comes together.
Important:
Don’t overmix once the flour has been added. Overmixing can make the pound cake dense and tough.
If the batter seems unusually thick, add up to ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
🍠 Bake the Cake
8. Fill the Bundt Pan
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.
Smooth the top with a spatula.
Gently tap the pan against the counter once or twice to remove large air pockets.
9. Bake
Bake at 325°F (165°C) for approximately 70–80 minutes.
Begin checking around 65 minutes.
The cake is ready when:
- The top is golden brown.
- It springs back lightly when touched.
- A long wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- The internal temperature is approximately 200–210°F (93–99°C).
❄️ Cool the Pound Cake
10. Rest in the Pan
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes.
Run a thin knife carefully around the edges if needed.
11. Turn Out the Cake
Place a wire rack over the Bundt pan.
Carefully invert the pan onto the rack.
Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.
🤍 Make the Vanilla Glaze
12. Mix the Glaze
Whisk together:
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla
- Pinch of salt
until smooth.
Adjust the consistency with a little more powdered sugar or milk.
You want a thick but pourable glaze.
✨ Finish the Cake
13. Glaze & Garnish
Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled pound cake.
Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans or a light dusting of cinnamon if desired.
Allow the glaze to set for approximately 15 minutes before slicing.
🍽️ Serve
Slice the cake generously and serve at room temperature.
It’s delicious alongside:
- Hot coffee
- Black tea
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- Caramel sauce
For a particularly Southern-style serving, warm a slice slightly and add a small pat of butter.
⭐ Grandma’s Best Tips
Use Smooth Sweet Potatoes
Mash the sweet potatoes thoroughly. Lumps can create uneven pockets in the cake.
Don’t Rush the Butter
Properly creamed butter and sugar help give pound cake its beautiful fine crumb.
Room-Temperature Eggs Matter
They blend more easily into the butter mixture and help prevent the batter from curdling.
Don’t Overmix
Once the flour goes in, mix only until incorporated.
Grease the Bundt Pan Well
Pay particular attention to the grooves. A well-prepared pan makes releasing the cake much easier.
Let It Cool Before Slicing
The crumb continues to set as the cake cools, giving you cleaner slices and better texture.
🍠 Delicious Variations
Sweet Potato Pecan Pound Cake
Fold ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans into the batter.
Maple Sweet Potato Cake
Replace ¼ cup of the granulated sugar with ¼ cup pure maple syrup.
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Cake
Replace ½ cup of the white sugar with packed light brown sugar for deeper caramel notes.
Bourbon Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Add 1–2 tablespoons bourbon to the batter and use a bourbon glaze.
Cream Cheese Glaze
Replace the vanilla glaze with a thin cream cheese frosting for an extra-rich finish.
Storage
Store the cooled cake tightly covered at room temperature for 2–3 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Allow refrigerated slices to come toward room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezing
This pound cake freezes beautifully.
Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or several hours at room temperature.
For best results, add the glaze after thawing.
🍠 Recipe Summary
Grandma’s Southern Sweet Potato Pound Cake is the definition of old-fashioned comfort baking: rich butter, sweet roasted potatoes, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and a tender, moist crumb.
It’s simple, nostalgic, and perfect for sharing.
One thick slice with a cup of coffee—and you’ll understand why this Southern classic never goes out of style.