Sweet Potato Tangerine Keto Cakes

Recipe adapted from Chinese Herbal Cookbook

Chen Pi is a key ingredient in this recipe. It’s simply dried tangerine peel, which makes a delicious addition to soups and stews as well as baked goods. Since it’s tangerine season, it’s time to make your annual chen pi supply. Simply cut the peel into small strips and dry it overnight, full instructions on my Making Chen Pi post. Add chen pi directly to soups or teas. To use it in baked goods, like these cakes, cover with boiling water, wait 15 minutes, then drain and chop.

You can make these cakes keto, or not. Although sweet potatoes themselves are a keto indulgence, using all almond flour and erythritol sugar eliminates additional carbs. These keto cakes will be soft and slightly wet in the center, like Chinese moon cakes, but without the wheat pastry crust. They’re best eaten within a few hours of being baked.

Using part all purpose wheat flour with the almond flour makes drier, more traditional cakes. If you use erythritol, remember that it’s not as sweet as sugar, so erythritol cakes are just moderately sweet. Increase the amount of erythritol for sweeter cakes. Light brown sugar can be substituted, and adds a dark richness to the cakes.

I used the maximum amount of black sesame seeds to top my cakes. I wanted a festive look for our Lunar New Year celebratory Mahjong game. Use the smaller quantity if you’re less keen on black sesame. Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Happy Lunar New Year)

Keto Version of Chen Pi Cakes

Sweet Potato Chen Pi Cakes

makes 25-30 cakes

1/3 oz. chen pi (dried tangerine peel)

1- 1¼ lb. sweet potatoes

2 eggs, plus 1 egg white

2 tbsp. butter

¼ c. superfine sugar (or erythritol)

1 tbsp. lime juice

1½ cup almond flour

1 cup all-purpose flour (or more almond flour)

Additional flour for shaping cakes

1 – 2 tbsp. black sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake sweet potatoes in their skins on a parchment lined baking sheet until tender, about 40 – 60 minutes. Remove from oven to cool, and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Meanwhile, cover chen pi with boiling water. Let soak 15 – 20 minutes. Drain and chop finely. Set aside.

When sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Mash the potatoes, then beat with an electric mixer till texture is consistent and fluffy. Measure out 1-1/3 cups of the mashed potatoes.

Cream together the butter and sugar. When light and fluffy, beat in the 2 eggs with a mixer. Beat in the lime juice and the measured amount of sweet potatoes.

Stir in almond flour till mixture is consistent. If using some all purpose flour, stir that in after the almond flour. The batter will be sticky.

Prepare a floured surface to shape cakes. For non-keto cakes, use all purpose flour. For keto cakes, use more almond flour, or coconut flour.

Drop the batter by the spoonful onto the floured surface. Shape into a 1-inch balls, coating with flour to prevent sticking. Flatten to about ½ thick. Place on parchment lined baking sheets.

Brush with egg white (or use whole egg), and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Bake in oven for 20 – 25 minutes. Tops and will be dry but not browned. Let cool slightly before removing to cooling racks—they’re delicate, so use a light touch and a cookie spatula. Serve completely cooled.

First Key Ingredient: Chen Pi (soaking)

Second Key Ingredient: Sweet Potatoes (beaten with mixer)

Correct Batter Texture

Shaped and Flattened Cake

Baked and Served