Sweet Potato & Cranberry Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

A fair amount of work, but certainly delicious. Cranberries and walnuts are yummy and unexpected in the cake. I must say the sweet potatoes sounded more interesting than they were actually tasted, but it was still a great cake. A great fall cake.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• CAKE

• 2  lbs  tan skinned sweet potatoes
• 2  cups cake flour
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  cup brown sugar, packed
• 4  large eggs
• 2⁄3 cup  chopped walnuts
• 2⁄3 cup dried cranberries

• FROSTING

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 1⁄4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2  tablespoons  frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 cup dried cranberries
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Prick potatoes and roast until soft, about 1 hour.
3. Let cool, and then peel and mash.
4. Measure 2 cups mashed potatoes and reduce oven to 350.
5. Butter and flour 2 9 inch cake pans.
6. Line bottom with parchment.
7. Sift flour and next 6 ingredients together in a bowl.
8. In large bowl whisk together oil and sugars til smooth.
9. Whisk in one egg at a time, then add potatoes.
10. Whisk in flour in 3 additions.
11. Stir in cranberries and walnuts.
12. Divide cake mixture into the 2 pans and bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
13. Cool completely on wire racks.
14. For the Frosting: Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and butter til fluffy.
15. Add powdered sugar, then orange juice and vanilla.
16. Place one cake on platter flat side up and frost top.
17. Place next layer on top, with its flat side down.
18. Frost entire cake and use extra walnuts and cranberries to garnish as a ring around the top of the cake.
19. Chill at least 2 hours to set the cake.