Sweet Potato Loaf with Brown Butter Maple Frosting

This post is sponsored by McCain

How do I like my vegetables, you ask? In cake, of course! You can then imagine how excited I was when McCain approached me to team up with them to create a few exciting recipes.

I grew up eating McCain – being a family of five with a working mom meant quick freezer to table dinners. Whilst my mum used them in dinners, I prefer my vegetables in cake! It can sometimes be a schlep to buy vegetables on demand, peel them and prep them only to then start to bake with them.

I used McCain sweet potato chunks to create this sweet potato cake with a brown butter maple frosting and my veg was prepped in under 10 minutes, in the microwave! I love the convenience of McCain. Even I love a bit of a shortcut now and then. The McCain sweet potato chunks makes this cake moist but has a close crumb structure.

If you make this recipe, please share it with me by tagging me on Instagram @adventureswithsugar or on Facebook at Adventures with Sugar. Please also leave a comment below to let me know how you got on with the recipe.

FOR THE BROWN BUTTER FILLING

• 120g salted butter
• 180g cream cheese
• 40ml maple syrup
• 80g brown sugar

METHOD

1. Place the butter in a pot and melt on medium heat. Continue to melt until the butter begins to turn brown and gives off a nutty aroma.
2. Remove from the heat and let it set in the fridge, until a spreadable consistency.
3. Cream the butter, cream cheese and brown sugar together until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Add in the maple syrup and continue to beat until you have a spreadable consistency.

FOR THE SWEET POTATO LOAF

• 150g McCain forzen sweet potato chunks
• 200ml full cream milk
• 2 teaspoons white spirit vinegar
• 120g salted butter, softened
• 125ml sunflower oil
• 200g muscovado sugar
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3 extra large eggs
• 180g rye flour
• 180g cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 100g pecans, chopped
• 60g raisins
• 60g sultanas

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.
2. Prepare the McCain frozen sweet potato chunks, in the microwave, as for the package instructions. Mash the sweet potatoes and set them aside to cool.
3. Add the two teaspoon vinegar to the milk and set aside for 10 minutes.
4. Cream the butter, oil, muscavado sugar, caster sugar and vanilla essence together until pale and fluffly.
5. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
6. Add in the mashed sweet potato and beat until just incorporated.
7. Sift the flour, rye flour, bicrbonate of soda, all the spices and salt.
8. Add in the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the milk mixture.
9. Finally stir in the pecans, raisins and sultanas.
10. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

FOR THE MERINGUE TOPPING

• 60g egg whites
• 100g caster sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

METHOD

1. Place the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl.
2. Place a medium pot on the stove, over which the bowl can sit and fill it with water. Bring the water up to a boil.
3. Place the bowl over the water, whilst not allowing the bottom to touch the water. Stir with a whisk until the mixture has heated up and the sugar has dissolved. If you take a bit of the mixture between your fingers, you should not feel the sugar granules.
4. Remove from the heat and using a stand mixer with a whip attachment, or hand held beater, beat the egg white mixture for 10 minutes until you have stiff and glossy peaks.
5. Add in the vanilla essence and beat to incorporate.
6. Slice the cooled loaf in half and frost with the brown butter maple frosting. Then place the second half of the loaf on top and top with the meringue. Use a blowtorch to lightly toast the meringue.

Recipe by adventureswithsugar.com