Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are king in Louisiana. As of 2013, Louisiana was the fourth largest sweet potato producing state with 8,000 acres and 2.5 billion pounds of product. North Carolina is right up there in the top four.  And Alabama and Mississippi and Georgia are also big producers. We think of using sweet potatoes during the holidays but they are good year round. They are harvested here in the fall so are readily available this time of year.

They are native to Central and South America but were taken back to Europe by Columbus and then around the world. They need a long hot growing season so they have made themselves at home here in the South. George Washington Carver at Tuskegee produced more than 118 different products from the sweet potato.

I am reading more about eating the greens as well. We failed to find slips for planting this year but will make an effort next year and try how we might use the greens.

I had to cook for a farewell luncheon for our deacon the other week and decided I would do something with sweet potatoes. I really don’t like them except in a savory dish but the picture of this cake in ‘Southern Living’ just made me want to cook it. Pretty pictures do that you know? The cake was a hit, and I also gave some to my neighbors who had recently gotten in a stray calf for us. This would be great for Christmas morning or as a dessert after that Christmas meal.

I put mine in a pretty dish and it looked lovely!

 

Taken from November, 2015 ‘Southern Living’

Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Marmalade Ribbon

Makes 12 servings

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup orange marmalade, divided

3 large eggs, divided

1 (16-ounce) can candied yams, drained, syrup reserved

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake mix)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ½ cup marmalade and 1 egg, and beat until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mash yams until smooth. Add oil, cake mix, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ½ cup reserved syrup, and remaining 2 eggs; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Place half of the cake batter in prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Spoon marmalade filling on top, staying away from the edges of the pan. Spoon remaining cake batter over marmalade.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 30 minutes before inverting onto a cake place. Let cool completely.

In a small bowl, microwave butter until melted. Stir in vanilla, remaining ¼ cup marmalade, and confectioners’ sugar. Stir in 3 teaspoons of reserved syrup. Spread glaze over cake.