Tasty Tuesday - Pumpkin Pound Cake

Pumpkin Pound Cake

The original recipe is Sweet Potato Pound Cake copied from an unknown magazine.  From living in many places where ingredients were limited I knew that I could easily substitute pumpkin for the sweet potato.  When we lived in Guatemala I went as far as to substitute any orange/yellow squash for either pumpkin or sweet potato.   Here in the US I gather the pumpkins used for decoration at school in the fall, then cook, purée and freeze for use all year.

Middle E was making banana bread for her teachers so I figured I'd make a treat for my co-workers as well.  This one of my most requested baked goods.  If I call it "Spice Cake" Little S will eat it!

Yummy!

Pumpkin Pound Cake

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 c cooked mashed sweet potatoes (or pumpkin puree)
3 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
1 t vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.  Add sweet potatoes/pumpkin and beat well.

2. Stir together flour, next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until just blended after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10 in tube pan.

3. Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 5 min to 1 hour and 10 min or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Pound Cake Loaves: Prepare batter as directed; pour into 2 greased and floured  8 1/2"  x 4 1/2" loaf pans.  Bake and cool as directed.