SWEET POTATO CAKE WITH ORANGE GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 10-in tube pan with removable bottom. Tap out excess flour.
• Place pecan halves on bottom of pan in even layer.
• Using colander, drain sweet potatoes well.
• In a bowl, mash potatoes until smooth.
• In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger and salt.
• In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugars 2 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in buttermilk, vanilla and mashed potatoes.
• With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beat on medium speed until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around edges; remove pan sides. Cool completely.
• Run long, sharp knife carefully under bottom of cake between pan and pecans. Turn cake out onto cake plate, pecan side up.
• Glaze: In small saucepan, over high heat, combine sugar and orange juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil until thick and syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in zest.
• Brush over pecans, letting some glaze run down sides of cake.