Caroline's Low-Sugar Sweet Potato Cake

My mother (that would be Caroline) has received notice from her doctor that she needs to be on a low sugar diet, and by diet of course is meant "from now on, permanently." Bummer. This is the sort of notice that turns a person from someone who really doesn't eat that many desserts into someone who thinks about dessert all the time. At least it would me, and it seems to have had somewhat that effect on Mom.

At any rate, she came up with the idea that if you made a cake with sweet potatoes, it really wouldn't need that much sugar, perhaps even none, and she proposed that I should see if I could come up with such a thing. I have not quite achieved the goal of none, since I did feel that a very small amount of maple syrup was required. However, it's really pretty discreet, and since we are in diet mode here I kept the amount of oil down to a dull roar as well.

We all agreed that the end result was very successful. It's not the sweetest, fanciest cake in the world, but it doesn't scream "I am a lousy, fake diet substitute for what you really want" either. It's quite moist, and I suspect will keep fairly well as a result.

I only put in some cinnamon, and it was good. However, you could add more spices and have it somewhat gingerbread-like. Cream cheese icing would be classic on something like this but then there goes the diet. It was fine without. I suspect it would also bake up quite well as muffins, or cupcakes if you prefer to call them that.

And just as a note, Blogger informs me that this is my 1,000th post. Cake seems appropriate to celebrate.

8 servings
50 minutes - 15 minutes prep time - not including baking the sweet potatoes


1 cup baked sweet potato, peeled and well mashed
- (2 medium sweet potatoes)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups soft unbleached or whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg and/or ginger, optional

The sweet potatoes should be baked the day before you plan to make this, or at least long enough in advance to completely cool. I baked mine for 45 minutes at 400°F, until soft. Don't forget to poke them with a fork several times before you bake them.

Peel, mash and measure the cold sweet potato. Put it in a medium mixing bowl and beat in the eggs. Beat in the maple syrup and oil.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8" round baking pan with parchment paper, and butter the sides.

Measure the flour and add the baking powder, salt, and spices, stirring gently to combine.

Mix the flour into the wet ingredients, until well and thoroughly blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth it out so it is level. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until firm. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.