Happy Monday everyone! I hope y'all had a wonderful weekend, despite the rain! I don't know what my deal is lately but all I've wanted to do is bake. Something about this cold, dreary weather makes me want to make things that require butter and sugar. Hmmm. Interesting :)

Anyhoo, this cake is sure to knock your galoshes off! It's super moist and the sweet potato adds such a unique flavor. 

 This cake is satisfying even without the glaze but if you want to add an extra blast of yumminess then you must add the icing, and I mean ALL of it. Don't let any go to waste, or I'll bop you on the head with a wooden spoon :)

Spiced Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

• 4 (8 ounce) red skinned sweet potatoes
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (I used King Arthur AP made from hard red winter wheat)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar (I only used 1 1/2)
• 1 cup canola oil (I prefer to use real butter) 
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

       For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (I only used 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For cake:
Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes. (I don't like microwaves so I steamed mine until tender)

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then generously butter pan. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar and oil (or butter) to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. The cake will feel very heavy, don't worry it will lighten up in the oven.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely.

For icing:
Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Stir brown sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over powdered sugar. Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.)