Cajun Sweet Potato Pone Recipe: Holiday Dessert
“NanaTee, is the pone done yet?”
That’s what the grandkids ask when the whole house smells like cinnamon and brown sugar.
My MawMaw taught me this recipe. MawMaw used to bring this to church. 3 ladies asked for the recipe before she left.
Pawpaw calls it “Cajun candy.”
I call it tradition.
We make this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any Sunday when I want the house to smell like love.
Pone isn't pie, cher, and it isn't a casserole. It's a dense, moist, caramelized cake made from mashed sweet potatoes, with a dark brown sugar top and no crust. Bake it in one 9x13 pan and it feeds a crowd, and it's even better the next day.
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Why You'll Love This Pone
The old-school way. MawMaw's method, with no crust and no fuss.
One pan feeds a crowd. 12 servings from a single 9x13 dish.
Better the next day. The flavor deepens in the refrigerator.
It travels. Bake it in a deep dish with a lid and carry it to church or a potluck.
Ingredients
Yield: 12 servings (one 9x13-inch pan)
- 3 lbs orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 orange, with extra to spare)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup self-rising flour
- Butter or cooking spray, for the pan
Equipment:
potato smasher
deep 9x13-inch baking dish with a lid
Microplane zester for the nutmeg and orange zest
Instructions
1. Boil and mash. Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water about 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain well. Mash with a potato smasher until smooth, with no lumps. (A fork leaves lumps. Use the wavy side of the smasher first, then the smooth side.)
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a deep 9x13 dish. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, evaporated milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla to the sweet potatoes. Whisk well.
3. Add the spices. Grate the nutmeg and orange zest right into the bowl. Add the cinnamon, salt and flour. Stir until smooth.
4. Bake. Pour into the dish. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is dark and caramelized and the center is set. A food thermometer in the center should read at least 160°F.
5. Rest. Let it cool 20 minutes. It sets up as it cools.
Slice and serve warm.
Time: prep 25 minutes, plus about 20 minutes of boiling; bake 50 to 60 minutes; rest 20 minutes.
How To Serve & Store
To Serve: Slice and serve warm, with a little whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you like. Because it has eggs and milk, don't leave it out more than 2 hours.
To Store: Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of baking. Keep it covered in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Rewarm slices in the microwave or a 350°F oven until steaming hot (165°F).
Make-ahead: Bake it a day ahead, cool, cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.
Taking it to church or a party? Bake it in a deep dish with a lid. Carry it warm and serve it within 2 hours of taking it out of the oven, or refrigerate it and rewarm it where you're going.
Contains: eggs, milk and wheat (self-rising flour).
Nana's Tips
1. Use a potato smasher, not a fork. A fork leaves lumps. The smasher makes it smooth.
2. Use a deep dish. A shallow pan dries the pone out.
3. Grate the nutmeg and orange zest fresh. Fresh spices taste better than the pre-ground kind.
4. Drain the sweet potatoes well. Wet sweet potatoes make a wet pone.
5. Let it rest 20 minutes. It's soft at first and sets up as it cools.
6. A nice hostess gift. Bake it in the lidded dish and hand over the whole thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sweet potato pone?
It's an old Louisiana dessert of mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs and spices, baked until the top is dark and caramelized. It's denser and chewier than a pie, and it has no crust.
Is sweet potato pone a pie?
No. It has no crust and it's denser than pie filling, more like a moist, caramelized cake. (Team Pone or Team Pie? Tell me in the comments!)
How do I know when sweet potato pone is done?
The top should be dark and caramelized and the center set. A food thermometer in the center should read at least 160°F.
Can I make sweet potato pone ahead of time?
Yes. Bake it a day ahead, cool, cover and refrigerate, then rewarm it before serving. Many people think it tastes even better the next day.
Does sweet potato pone need to be refrigerated?
Yes. It has eggs and milk, so refrigerate it within 2 hours of baking. Keep it covered in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.
What if I don't have self-rising flour?
For 1/4 cup self-rising flour, use 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/8 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Why is my sweet potato pone lumpy or dry?
Lumps come from mashing with a fork. Use a potato smasher. Dryness comes from a shallow pan, so use a deep 9x13 dish.
Nutrition Information
Sweet Potato Pone — One 9x13 Pan — 12 Servings
Per serving — 1 square (1/12 of the pan, about 5.5 oz / 155g baked):
- Calories: 302
- Total Fat: 9.2g (Saturated Fat 5.4g, Trans Fat 0.4g)
- Cholesterol: 57mg
- Carbohydrates: 51.8g (Fiber 3.5g, Sugar 29.8g, Added Sugar 25g)
- Protein: 3.8g
- Sodium: 151mg
- Potassium: 418mg
- Vitamin A: about 90% DV | Vitamin C: 4% DV | Calcium: 6% DV | Iron: 6% DV
Whole pan totals: about 3,622 calories, 111g fat (65g saturated), 621g carbs, 42g fiber, 357g sugar, 46g protein and about 1,815mg sodium.
Nutrition is an estimate and varies with the brands you use.
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