Sweet Potato Nut Bread
Original Cookbook Name: The Black Family Reunion Cookbook
Published By: National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Year of Publication: 1991
Page Number: 12
Author / Contributor: Not individually credited
Sweet Potato Nut Bread holds a beloved place in African American kitchens, where root vegetables like sweet potatoes have long been staples due to their availability, nutrition, and adaptability. This recipe, featured in The Black Family Reunion Cookbook, reflects the resourcefulness and warmth at the heart of Black family traditions. Sweet potato dishes—baked, mashed, or fried—often appeared on the table during Sunday dinners, holidays, or family reunions, particularly across the South. The addition of nuts and optional raisins reflects a layering of textures and flavors typical in celebratory baking. This loaf is perfect for gifting, breakfast spreads, or a sweet accompaniment to tea.
Ingredients (As Written in the Book)
- ½ cup Crisco Shortening
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Grease one 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.
- Combine Crisco and sugar in a large bowl. Beat at a low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase speed to medium. Beat until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sweet potatoes.
- Combine flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add alternately with water to the creamed mixture at medium-low speed. Add nuts, vanilla, and raisins, if used. Spread in a pan.
- Bake at 375°F for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack.
Editor’s Note: For best results, ensure the mashed sweet potatoes are cool and smooth before incorporating. Bread may be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months.
Historical Insight
Sweet potatoes, indigenous to the Americas, became central to African American cooking through both necessity and innovation, especially in the South. Often used in pies and breads, they were a comfort food during lean times and a luxury at family events. This recipe’s presence in The Black Family Reunion Cookbook ties it to an effort by the National Council of Negro Women to preserve culinary memory and heritage across generations. The use of Crisco reflects mid-20th-century kitchen trends, while the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg ties back to African spice traditions and the practice of using aromatic ingredients to deepen flavor in even the humblest dishes.
