Sweet Potato Cake With Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting

2011 Christmas with Southern Living

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup crushed pineapple
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3  large eggs
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 2  cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped pecans, toasted
• 1⁄2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

• Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1  navel orange, cut into quarters
• 1.5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 6  cups powdered sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening; line pans with wax paper, and grease paper.
3. Dust with flour and shake out excess.
4. Drain and press pineapple between paper towels to remove excess moisture; set pineapple aside.
5. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
6. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
7. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
8. Stir in reserved pineapple, sweet potatoes, and next 3 ingredients until blended.
9. Pour batter into prepared pans.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
12. Make frosting-.
13. Peel orange sections, removing any bitter white pith.
14. Process cream cheese and butter in a food processor just until smooth.
15. Add 3 orange sections; process 20 seconds or until mixture is smooth (reserve remaining orange section for another use).
16. Transfer cream cheese mixture to a mixing bowl; gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.
17. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; garnish with candied pecans and orange zest, if desired.