Exie Mae Garner's Sweet Potato Pudding
Exie Mae Garner's Sweet Potato Pudding is a comforting and easy-to-make dessert, perfect for gatherings. It features tender sweet potatoes mashed with warm spices, milk, and eggs, baked until set, then topped with fluffy, broiled marshmallows for a delightful finish. This classic recipe offers a harmonious blend of sweetness and earthy notes, making it a beloved side dish or dessert.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot For boiling sweet potatoes
- 1 Hand-held Electric Mixer Essential for smooth pudding texture
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining all ingredients
- 1 9x13 inch Casserole Dish For baking the pudding
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons For accurate ingredient portions
Ingredients
Main
- 4 medium sweet potatoes peeled and quartered
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 eggs
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- One 16-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot of water, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, lower the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer, break up the potatoes. At low speed add the sugar, milk, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, eggs, salt to taste, and combine.
- Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and pour in the mixture. Smooth the top and bake until the pudding is set, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cover the top of the pudding with marshmallows, change the oven temperature to the broil setting and cook until the marshmallows are brown and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Notes
For a consistently smooth pudding, ensure sweet potatoes are very tender before mashing; an electric mixer is key here to eliminate lumps. Adjust salt to taste, as it balances the sweetness of the sugar and marshmallows. When baking, the pudding should be set but still have a slight wobble in the center; overbaking can lead to a dry texture. For an elevated flavor profile, consider adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a hint of orange zest to the mixture. Broil the marshmallows very carefully, as they can burn quickly; keep a close eye on them for that perfect golden, fluffy finish. This pudding is best served warm.