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Recipes/Sweet Potato Layer Cake
Sweet Potato Layer Cake

Sweet Potato Layer Cake

Free online atcooking.nytimes.com

Taking an old recipe and making it new, without compromising its comfort and nostalgia, can be a real joy. Howard Conyers Jr., a legacy sweet potato farmer in South Carolina, did what all good minds do: He got creative with what he had an abundance of. Using his mother Hallie’s carrot cake recipe, he replaced the grated carrots with sweet potatoes, introducing a deep and warm flavor to a classic recipe. The sweet potatoes play well with the spices, bringing in an appealing vegetal note that is a true delight with the cream cheese frosting. This is an easy cake to put together for a lazy Sunday, yet it feels regal and elegant enough for special occasions. Lisa Donovan

Servings
1

Course

Dessert, layer cake

Makes

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