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Sweet Potato Honeybun Cake with Pecans & Grated Sweet Potato Icing

A warm, moist cake made with sweet potato, featuring a delicious pecan swirl and topped with a creamy sweet potato icing. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or potlucks.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (about 1 medium)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Icing Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup grated fresh sweet potato (raw)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1-2 tbsp milk (or as needed to achieve desired consistency)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Add the softened butter, mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat until smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together the pecans, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon.
Baking
  1. Pour half of the batter into the greased pan. Sprinkle half of the pecan mixture over the batter.
  2. Add the remaining batter then sprinkle the rest of the pecan mixture on top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
  3. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Icing Preparation
  1. While the cake is baking, mix together the grated sweet potato, powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
  2. Add milk gradually until the icing reaches your desired consistency.
Finishing Touch
  1. Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  2. Spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake and slice into 12 servings.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and butter for a smoother batter. Mash the sweet potato well to avoid lumps. Let the cake cool completely to prevent the icing from melting.