Rum and Vanilla Sweet Potato Cake

Ingredients

• 800 g Orange sweet potatoes (Peeled, cut into pieces and cooked, then roughly mashed)
• 1 cuillère à soupe White or amber rum (About 15 ml, preferably an aromatic rum)
• 0.5 gousse Vanilla bean (half) (Split, scrape the seeds; the pod can be reused to infuse milk or sugar)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (Granulated, adjustable to taste)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (Melted then slightly cooled)
• 2 Eggs (Medium size, at room temperature)
• 80 g All‑purpose flour (About 10 % of the sweet potato weight, sifted)
• 20 g Butter for the pan (To grease the pan before pouring the batter)

Instructions

1. Cooking the sweet potatoes

   Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into uniformly sized pieces and place them in a pot of boiling water. Cook 15‑20 minutes until they are very tender.

   Time: PT20M

2. Drain and cool slightly

   Drain the cooked sweet potatoes, let them warm for 5 minutes so you can handle them without burning.

   Time: PT5M

3. Mash the flesh

   Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and mash using a potato masher or a fork, leaving a few small pieces to retain texture.

   Time: PT5M

4. Add sugar, butter, rum, vanilla and eggs

   Add the sugar, melted butter, rum, the seeds from the half vanilla bean and the beaten eggs. Mix until you obtain a homogeneous batter.

   Time: PT5M

5. Add the flour

   Sift 80 g of flour over the batter and gently fold with a spatula until no flour traces remain.

   Time: PT3M

6. Prepare the pan

   Generously butter the cake pan and lightly dust with flour or semolina to prevent the cake from sticking.

   Time: PT2M

7. Pour the batter into the pan

   Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.

   Time: PT2M

8. Bake

   Bake the cake at 180°C for 45‑50 minutes. The cake is done when a knife tip comes out clean and the top is lightly golden.

   Time: PT45M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Cooling and chilling

   Let the cake cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place it in the refrigerator for 4‑8 hours before unmolding to achieve a perfect texture.

   Time: PT30M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Orange sweet potatoes: White sweet potatoes, Pumpkin
• Instead of White or amber rum: Rum extract (1 c. à café), Brandy
• Instead of Vanilla bean (half): Vanilla extract (1 c. à café), Vanilla sugar
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Whole cane sugar, Coconut sugar
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine, Melted coconut oil
• Instead of Eggs: Flax egg (2 c. à soupe de graines de lin moulues + 6 c. à soupe d'eau), Applesauce (2 c. à soupe)
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: Gluten‑free flour blend, Cornstarch
• Instead of Butter for the pan: Vegetable oil, Parchment paper

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan or pot
• Potato masher or sturdy fork
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• 20 cm cake pan
• Oven
• Silicone spatula
• Kitchen scale (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the sweet potatoes until very tender
• Do not over‑smooth the mash to keep texture
• Precise incorporation of rum and vanilla
• Baking at 180°C for the indicated time
• Chilling in the refrigerator before unmolding

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a real Reunion vanilla bean for authentic flavor.
• Rum adds aromatic depth; a slightly aged amber rum is ideal.
• Leaving a few small unmashed potato pieces gives a pleasant texture contrast.
• Butter the pan with melted butter then dust with flour to prevent the cake from sticking.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3‑4 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze up to 2 months.

Room temperature: At room temperature only for a few hours, otherwise the cake will dry out.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the sweet potato puree the day before and keep it refrigerated.
• The cake can be baked ahead and gently reheated in the oven before serving.
• Slices can be wrapped individually and frozen for longer storage.