Roasted Sweet Potato Loaf with Maple–Brown Butter Glaze

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dessert loaf built on whole sweet potatoes roasted until their edges caramelize, which drives off water and concentrates sugar the way canned purée never can. The crumb is dark, damp and spiced with cinnamon, ginger and allspice; a maple–brown butter glaze sets to a thin shell on top, with maple-candied pecans pressed into it while it's still tacky. Bake it the day before — it gets better overnight.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb sweet potatoes (2 medium)
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for rubbing

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup pecan halves, roughly broken
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 tsp whole milk, plus more as needed

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub the sweet potatoes with the teaspoon of oil, prick each a few times with a fork, and set them directly on a foil-lined sheet pan. Roast 50–60 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance and syrup is bubbling out of the skins and browning on the foil. That caramelized syrup is the flavor — don't pull them early.
2. Cool the potatoes 15 minutes, then split them and scoop the flesh into a bowl, scraping in any sticky caramelized bits. Mash smooth with a fork. Measure out 1 1/2 cups (about 340 g) firmly packed mash; if you have extra, save it for another use. Let it cool to barely warm.
3. Reduce the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling that overhangs the long sides.
4. Toss the pecans with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a pinch of flaky salt on a small parchment-lined pan. Bake 8–10 minutes, stirring once, until the syrup looks dry and lacquered. Cool completely on the pan, then break apart.
5. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
6. In a large bowl, whisk both sugars with the 1/2 cup oil until no dry lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla and the 1 1/2 cups sweet potato mash. Whisk hard for 20 seconds — the batter should look glossy and uniform.
7. Add the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until the last streaks of flour disappear, no more than about 15 strokes. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8. Bake at 350°F for 55–70 minutes, until the loaf is domed and cracked, a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs, and the center reads 205–208°F. Tent loosely with foil at 45 minutes if the top is browning fast.
9. Cool in the pan 20 minutes, then lift out by the parchment onto a rack and cool completely, at least 2 hours. Glazing a warm loaf makes the glaze soak in and disappear.
10. Make the glaze: melt the butter in a small light-colored skillet over medium heat, swirling, 3–5 minutes, until the milk solids are golden brown and it smells nutty. Pour it into a bowl, scraping in the browned bits, and let it cool 5 minutes.
11. Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup and pinch of salt into the brown butter until smooth, then add milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the glaze falls from the whisk in a thick, slow ribbon.
12. Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf, nudging it toward the edges so a little drips down the sides. Scatter the candied pecans over the top while the glaze is still wet, then let it set 30 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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