Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Sugar Icing

My mother in law made this for my birthday a while back. I think she found this one through a patient that brings this cake in every year. Since my birthday is around Thanksgiving I usually like a fall inspired dessert. I alternate between chocolatey mousse cakes, spumoni cake and this. It's moist, not overly spiced and the icing is TO DIE FOR. I always forget how amazing it is but this year it was abosolutley scrumptious!

INGREDIENTS

1. Cake
   • 4 8-ounce red-skinned sweet potatoes(yams) (you'll need about 2 cups mashed. I let my cups be a little full)
2. • Nonstick spray
   • 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
   • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (both heaping)
   • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger (heaping)
   • 1 teaspoon baking powder (slightly heaping)
   • 1 teaspoon baking soda (slightly heaping)
   • 1/2 teaspoon salt
   • 1 1/2 cups maybe even just 1 cup)
   • 1/2 cup apple sauce
   • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
   • 4 large eggs  
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3. Icing
   • 1 cup powdered sugar
   • 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
   • 2/3 cup whipping cream (heavy is fine too)
   • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
   • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. For cake:
   1. Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes. (I cook mine poked in the instant pot for about 20 minutes depending on size)
   2. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, generously. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. (I often skip this) Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. (I add all the wet ingredients and just mix it up and add to the dry. (USE A LARGE BOWL FOR THE FINAL MIX) Add sugar and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes (mine took closer to about 1 1/2 hours. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool so it's at least cool to the touch.
2. For icing:
   1. Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl! Stir brown sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over powdered sugar. Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least 1 hour (we took it outside and just let it cool for like 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.) We made day of and served it mildly warm and it was good. Also good served with ice cream and chilled the next day. 
   2. via:  https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spiced-sweet-potato-cake-with-brown-sugar-icing-104322?intcid=inline_amp&_gl=1*1xa5u1f*_ga*X0VnR05CenFDVmg0MC1ZN3hFX0N5ZGhhaUtZU1d1eW04MXVCSTNoMWh0c0FFWGw4Nk5UbEhFa0VZS1JTZmhJaQ..