Sweet Potato Bread

Happy New Year, Everyone! Having a New Year's Eve party? Try serving this yummy quick bread; it's full of flavor. The taste reminds me more of Amish Friendship Bread than of sweet potato, but the yams make it healthier--or at least make you think it is so you don't feel as guilty when you eat half a loaf in one day...

Ingredients:

3 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t salt

2 t baking soda

2 t ground cinnamon

2 t ground nutmeg

1/2 t ground allspice

1/2 t ground cloves

3 C white sugar, plus topping

4 eggs

1 C vegetable oil

3/4 C orange juice

2 C mashed sweet potatoes aka yams (I used canned; see link below for instructions on how to use from fresh)

1. If you haven't already done so, mash the sweet potatoes in a bowl with a flat bottom using a potato masher. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix most of your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

3. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, and oil. Stir in orange juice and sweet potatoes. Stir flour mixture into egg/sweet potato mixture until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. (This recipe yields 2 9x5 loaves. If you're making mini loaves like I did, check them after 30 minutes.)

Source: lightly adapted from Sweet Potato Bread II as submitted to Allrecipes.com by Umm Asiyah