Candied Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Stir brown sugar, butter, hot water, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, pepper and cardamom together in a large bowl. Add sweet potatoes and toss to fully coat. Shingle the sweet potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle any remaining brown sugar mixture over the top.

Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sugar mixture is syrupy, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans and serve.