By Colette graduates. Accepted into Our Lady of the Lake College nursing program. Tommy makes her a cake shaped like a nurse's cap. It looks terrible. She loves it.
Tommy is 42. Luc (18) at LSU studying engineering. Colette (15) in high school, painting. Rémy (12) in school, cooking and fishing. Mama (68) in the cottage, slowing but cooking The week was marked by this moment — Colette graduates high school — and the food was made to match the moment, because in this family, every moment has a dish and every dish has a moment and the two are inseparable, the way the roux is inseparable from the gumbo, the way the Beaumonts are inseparable from the bayou.
Made grilled whole fish because the week demanded it and the kitchen answered and the stove held steady and the family gathered and the food was good. The roux keeps turning.
I made that nurse’s cap cake out of sheer stubbornness and too much fondant, and it came out looking like something Rémy sat on — but Colette held it like it was a trophy, and that was enough. The grilled fish fed the family, but it was the cake that marked the night, the way cake always marks the nights that matter in this house. Next time I’ll make this sweet potato cake instead — it’s Southern enough to feel like home, rich enough to feel like a celebration, and forgiving enough that even I can’t wreck it.
Sweet Potato Cake
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line with parchment paper circles.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
- Beat wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until well combined and slightly thickened. Stir in the mashed sweet potato and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine and fold. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined — do not overmix. A few streaks are fine; they’ll work out as you fold.
- Bake the layers. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges pull slightly away from the pan.
- Cool completely. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting. Do not rush this step — warm cake will melt the frosting.
- Make the frosting. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat on high for 1 minute until light and smooth.
- Frost and serve. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Set the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 68g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 310mg