Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar

A sweet, creamy, but light-tasting take on sweet potato casserole. The orange adds a bit of zing that is needed and missing from most recipes, in my opinion.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 410 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• aluminum foil
• 1 cup brown sugar, divided
• ½ orange, zested and juiced
• 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
• ½ stick butter, cut into pieces, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Add enough salt so that the water tastes like seawater. Bring to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender and mashable, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a casserole dish.

Step 3

Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add 1/2 the butter, 1/2 of the brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract; mix until well combined. Allow mixture to cool slightly, then add cream, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust spices to your liking. Mix in eggs until well combined. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.

Step 4

Mix remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar with flour in a small bowl. Sprinkle pecans over the potato mixture, and then do the same with the brown sugar-flour mixture. Sprinkle remaining butter pieces on top of the casserole and cover with aluminum foil.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake until topping is crispy, about 20 minutes longer. Serve once cooled.