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1
Preheat the oven to 375.
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2
With a fork, pierce the sweet potatoes all over and set them directly on the oven rack.
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3
Bake the sweet potatoes for 1 hour, or until they are tender; let cool slightly.
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4
Slit the skins and scoop the potatoes into a large bowl.
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5
Mash until smooth.
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6
You should have 1 1/4 cups of mashed sweet potatoes.
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7
Increase the oven temperature to 425.
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8
Meanwhile, lightly butter a shallow 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish and dust it with cornmeal, tapping out any excess.
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9
In another large bowl, whisk the cornmeal with the sugar, salt and baking soda.
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10
Melt the butter in the boiling water, then stir the butter-and-water mixture into the dry ingredients.
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11
Let cool slightly.
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12
Using an electric mixer, beat the buttermilk, honey, cumin, white pepper, cloves and cayenne into the mashed sweet potatoes until combined.
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13
At medium speed, beat in the cornmeal mixture.
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14
In a clean stainless steel bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
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15
Fold the beaten egg whites into the sweet-potato mixture until no white streaks remain.
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16
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden and risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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17
Serve the sweet potato spoon bread warm or at room temperature.
