Buttered Rum and Candied Sweet Potato Crumb Cake, and a Giveaway!
Bake up a tray of this soul-warming buttered rum and candied sweet potato crumb cake for your family this weekend! It's gorgeously spiced with cinnamon and clove, and such a perfect start to a crisp fall weekend.
The weekend is almost here, and it's looking like it's going to be cool, crisp, and perfectly "fall," in every way. I highly suggest you start it off with this coffee cake.
I wish I could take credit for this one, because it has been a huge hit with my family members and friends. It's moist and sweet and gorgeously fragrant with cinnamon and clove. We've been nibbling away at it for days (it can feed a crowd!). But all the glory here goes to one of my dearest friends, Jocelyn Delk Adams, author of Grandbaby Cakes (the blog), and now, Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories (the book).
This book. You have got to get your hands on this book! I love cookbooks as much as the next person, but this one is on a whole different level. It was highly anticipated, by myself as well as many others. A lot of my friends have devoured it cover to cover in one sitting. Personally, I prefer to savor it. I've been carrying it around in my tote bag ever since I received my advance copy several weeks ago. Whenever I find myself with a few spare moments, at one of my kids little league games, on a long car ride to meet family for a dinner out, even while waiting in line at the bank, I whip it out and read as much as I can get in. It never fails to be the bright spot in my day.
I love it because it's so much more than just a cookbook. It's a love letter. A love letter to her family. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Jocelyn's family because she is one of the most vibrant, passionate, and warm people ever. The world is a happier place because she is in it. And so much of that is due to the way she was raised.
Every recipe in Grandbaby Cakes is accompanied by a story. Why the recipe is so special to her heart, who made it so, and how she puts her own modern spin on it. It's so heartwarming! And such a fun read too.
Jocelyn wanted me to include family pictures of my own in this post, and stories about how the different generations of my family helped instill a love of baking in me, in the same way hers did. I wish I had that kind of rich history. When I really thought about it though, there really wasn't a whole lot of that for me. Sometimes things are not in our control. Sometimes families just fall to pieces, despite your hardest efforts. And when I was talking to a friend about it recently, we both agreed that that was really the thing that got us into baking: that we ourselves missed that growing up, but wanted to provide it for future generations.
So I'm dedicating this post to those goobers up there. Those are my two sons. The reason I bake, and the reason I started this crazy blogging adventure. I feel like I owe them so much! I'm getting teary just typing it lol. But if I could write a beautiful baking love letter like my friend Jocelyn did, these two would be the recipients.
So maybe you didn't grow up quite the way Jocelyn did, at your big mama's knee learning to bake and appreciate good food and family from the moment you were born practically, but maybe you can be the pioneer, and start a new legacy. Grandbaby Cakes is the perfect starting point and it will inspire you!
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Buttered Rum and Candied Sweet Potato Crumb Cake
Ingredients
For the streusel crumb topping
- ¾ cup (93.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar,, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (88.72 g) unsalted butter,, melted
Cake
- 4 large eggs,, separated
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (218 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large sweet potatoes,, roasted, peeled, and mashed*
- ⅓ cup (83.33 ml) hot water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour,, sifted
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (2.25 teaspoons) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
Butter-Rum Sauce
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (59.15 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
To make the streusel crumb topping:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Slowly whisk in the melted butter, letting it coat the dry ingredients until crumbs are formed. (The mixture will seem wet, but this is normal. Pinch pieces together to form more crumbs.)
To make the sweet potato cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and liberally grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the whipped egg whites to a small bowl and place in the refrigerator.
- Beat the granulated sugar and oil on medium-high speed until combined.
- Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the sweet potatoes, hot water, and vanilla extract, and beat for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed and carefully add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. Mix the batter until just combined. (Be careful not to overmix.)
- Remove the egg whites from the refrigerator and gently fold them into the batter.
- Pour ½ of the batter into the prepared pan. Cover with ½ of the streusel. Repeat with the remaining batter and streusel.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out moist but mostly clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then poke the top of the cake in various locations with a toothpick.
- Lightly cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap so it does not dry out. While the cake continues to cool, prepare the sauce.
For the Butter-Rum Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the granulated sugar, butter, rum, and water to a boil.
- Whisk until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. When the sauce can thickly coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the warm cake. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Author
More Breakfast and Brunch
Have a question about this recipe? Ask AI:
I'd go with my family's Chewy Chocolate Cookes for a favorite.
oh Allie I loved reading this post, it shows a much more personal side of you! You have two adorable boys and I am sure all of you are lucky to have each other. This cake is amazing, and I am so happy that you are sharing your love for baking with all of us.
Thank you so much Katalina! The pleasure is all mine 🙂
Oh Allie, I got all teary-eyed reading this post too. So so beautiful and your boys are so adorable! I started my blog for my son too, he is the reason why life was made sweeter. And Jocelyn's book and this cake are just gorgeous!
That is so sweet! Now that I know that I love your blog even more. So wonderful that we have this in common! Thank you so much sweetie <3
The recipe drew me in, the contest was a added bonus. Can't wait to try it.
Thanks so much Denise! I hope you enjoy 🙂
I loved the pic of your kids----Sweet and funny. The cake looks yum---where's the coffee????
Thanks Carol! Coffee is a must with this cake!
Holishkes, for sure, is my family favorite.
That's really interesting! I had never heard of holishkes so I had to google it. This is my cousins' favorite dish too but they call it galumpkis. Thanks so much for sharing, Allie!
Not a problem at all! And yes, I think every culture that eats these has a different name for them and a slightly different style. In my family they're very savory with no sweet at all, but I think the majority of cultures use a sweeter sauce.
Great to know! I think my cousin's like it kinda sweet and sour. 😉
My family makes the best baked beans
Oh my gosh now I'm craving baked beans! Lol thanks Kelly!
I thought that cake would be the most beautiful thing in your post, but then! Your boys!! What a couple of handsome fellows...
You always go straight to my heart with these boozy desserts of yours, Allie. Lovely lovely!
Aw, thank you so much Marissa! xo
Blueberry Crunch Pie
Sounds wonderful! Thanks for entering 🙂
hi, our family has always loved homemade pizza, we try to have it every friday or saturday night, thanks for the chance to win !
We love that too! Good luck Theresa!
My goodness I think I drooled!
Love love sweat potatoes...this looks so yummy & warm.
I do too Debbi! And that is a perfect way to describe it 🙂 Thanks so much for reading!
That cake looks fabulous! Yum! My favorite family recipe has to be our cheesecake recipe. LOVE it!
Thank you! That sounds delicious! I just love cheesecake... 🙂
My favorite family recipe is our whole Thanksgiving spread, especially the turkey which is always cooked by my Grandad.
Sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for entering!
My family's favorite recipe is called chocolate delight, which has chocolate pudding, whipped topping,pecans and cream cheese
Oh my! That sounds like an incredible treat! Thanks so much Linda!
Our favorite family recipe is is my tuna casserole that my adult children still request when they come home for a visit.
Sounds so comforting!