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Glazed Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

Glazed Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

Sweet potatoes and buttermilk render this chocolate cake remarkably moist and rich tasting. It will even satisfy serious chocolate lovers.

Cake
1 pound sweet potatoes
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup (firmly packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 large carrot, shredded
2/3 cup low-fat (1.5%) buttermilk
1/2 cup carrot juice

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 For the Cake Preheat the oven to 450°. Prick the sweet potatoes in several places, place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash with a fork. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

2 Generously spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, allspice and cloves; set aside.

3 In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the mashed sweet potatoes, the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites until well combined. Fold in the carrot.

4 In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and carrot juice. Alternately fold the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

5 Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack in the pan.

6 For the Glaze In a medium bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Makes 12 servings

Nutrition Information (per serving)
calories 268  •  fat 5.5g (saturated fat 1g)  •  cholesterol 1mg   •  dietary fiber 3g  •  beta carotene 6 mg  •  vitamin c 10 mg  •  cholesterol 1 mg   •  calcium 88 mg  •  sodium 266 mg  •  iron 2 mg