Sweet Potato Cake!

3 C Grated raw sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sized)

4 Eggs

2 C Sugar

1 C Vegetable oil

1 tbsp Bourbon

2 1/4 C Flour

2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1 C Chopped walnuts (optional)

For the frosting

1 C (2 sticks) Unsalted butter at room temperature

2 (8 oz) Packages cream cheese at room temperature

1 lb (approximately 4-4.5 cups) Confectionary sugar

1-2 tbsp Bourbon

1 tbsp Heavy whipping cream

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 C Caramel sauce

1 C Walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Peel sweet potatoes. Use a grater to shred the sweet potatoes into a bowl. When finished, use your hands to squeeze out excess juice from sweet potatoes. Pour out excess juice. Re-fluff sweet potatoes with your hands.
2. Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour two 8” pans. If you choose to use a different size pan, you will need to adjust the baking time accordingly. This can easily be made in a 9” pan as well as a Bundt pan.
3. Lightly beat eggs with a fork. Add sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. Add oil and bourbon. Continue to beat on low speed until well mixed.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; mix together. Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients and beat until incorporated.
5. Fold in walnuts.
6. Pour batter in greased baking pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Use a toothpick or knife to check the center of the cake. If your toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Allow cake to cool completely.
7. Prepare the frosting by allowing the butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Combine butter and cream cheese in a mixer. Beat on a medium high speed until its light and fluffy.
8. Slowly add powdered sugar one cup at a time, until each cup is incorporated. As the frosting thickens, add bourbon, one tablespoon at a time. Reserve the second table spoon if you prefer a stronger taste.
9. Add heavy whipping cream and vanilla last. Incorporate into frosting and then increase speed to medium high and beat for additional 2-3minutes to whip air into the frosting.
10. Refrigerate the frosting for at least 30-60 minutes while cake cools.
11. To prepare the cake, use a cake leveler or knife to cut the dome off the cake, leaving a flat top on both cakes.
12. Apply a crumb coat the cake (a thin layer of frosting) and put in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from freezer and add remaining frosting. Keep refrigerated.
13. Before serving, use your hands to apply walnuts to the sides of the cake. Drizzle the caramel over the top of the cake and gently spread to the edges with an offset spatula.