Ahhh, sweet potato pone 😌—pure Southern comfort.
Here’s a classic, old-school sweet potato pone recipe (dense, not cakey, lightly sweet, heavy on spice):
🥧 Sweet Potato Pone
Ingredients
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2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes (baked or boiled, well-drained)
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½ cup sugar (use white, brown, or a mix)
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½ cup evaporated milk (or whole milk)
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¼ cup melted butter
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2 eggs, beaten
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¼ cup cornmeal (this is key—makes it pone, not pie)
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1 tsp vanilla
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1 tsp cinnamon
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½ tsp nutmeg
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¼ tsp ginger (optional but very traditional)
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¼ tsp salt
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 dish or cast-iron skillet.
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Mix mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, and milk until smooth.
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Stir in eggs, cornmeal, vanilla, spices, and salt.
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Pour into dish and smooth the top.
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Bake 45–55 minutes, until set in the center and lightly browned.
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Let it cool a bit—pone firms up as it rests.
How it’s supposed to be
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Not fluffy ❌
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Not pie ❌
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Dense, custardy, sliceable ✔️
Some folks eat it warm with butter, others cold straight from the fridge (arguably better 👀).
If you want:
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a no-egg version
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a very old Appalachian-style pone
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or one with molasses / sorghum