Sweet potato is one of the more effective ways to sneak genuine nutrition into a cake without anybody noticing. It brings moisture, natural sweetness and a dense, yielding crumb that keeps the cake soft for several days. Unlike adding vegetables to cake purely for virtue, sweet potato here is an ingredient that actively improves the texture and flavour rather than just silently lowering the calorie count. The maple cream frosting on top amplifies the natural sweetness of the cake and creates something that could sit on a celebration table without anyone questioning whether it belongs there.
Why this recipe works
Cooked and mashed sweet potato replaces a significant portion of the fat and eggs in a conventional cake recipe. It adds beta-carotene, fibre and a gentle sweetness that allows you to reduce the added sugar meaningfully. Whole wheat or spelt flour instead of plain white flour adds a nutty depth to the crumb that complements the sweet potato. Coconut sugar contributes a mild caramel note that works beautifully with the warm spices, cinnamon and ginger, that run through the batter. The maple cream frosting, made with cream cheese, maple syrup and a small amount of vanilla, is light enough to spread in a thin layer rather than the thick, sweet buttercream most celebration cakes carry.
Getting it right
Roast the sweet potato rather than boiling it. Roasting concentrates the sugars and reduces moisture, producing a drier, more flavourful mash that does not add excess water to the batter. Allow the roasted sweet potato to cool completely before mashing and incorporating.
Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing. Cold butter or eggs straight from the fridge do not cream properly and can cause the batter to split.
Common mistakes
Overbaking is the most common problem. Sweet potato keeps cakes moist but also means they can look underdone in the centre when they are actually done. Test with a skewer: it should come out with just a few damp crumbs rather than wet batter.
Frosting a warm cake causes the cream cheese frosting to melt and slide. Cool completely, ideally overnight, before frosting.
Substitutions
Pumpkin puree replaces sweet potato with a milder, slightly less sweet result. Butternut squash works similarly. For a dairy-free frosting, whipped coconut cream with maple syrup and a small amount of lemon juice produces a lighter, glossy alternative.
Serving suggestion
Serve at room temperature for the best flavour and texture. The cake keeps in the fridge for four days and actually improves on the second day as the flavours settle and the crumb softens further.
Ingredients
- 400 g sweet potato (peeled, roasted and mashed, about 2 medium potatoes)
- 220 g whole wheat spelt flour (spooned and levelled)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 0.3 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 100 ml pure maple syrup (grade A, dark for richer flavour)
- 60 ml melted coconut oil (refined for a neutral flavour)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 ml unsweetened almond milk (or any plant milk)
- 200 g full-fat Greek yogurt (for the frosting)
- 100 g light cream cheese (for the frosting, at room temperature)
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (for the frosting)
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (for the frosting)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon (for dusting, optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 fan). Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Using a loose-bottomed tin makes it much easier to remove the cakes cleanly once cooled.
- 2
If you have not already roasted your sweet potatoes, pierce them all over, roast at 200 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes until completely soft, then scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.
Roasting rather than boiling gives a drier, more intensely flavoured mash that will not make the batter watery.
- 3
In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Set aside.
- 4
In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs with the maple syrup, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract until well combined and slightly frothy, about 2 minutes.
Make sure the coconut oil has cooled slightly before adding it to the eggs, otherwise you risk cooking them.
- 5
Add the mashed sweet potato to the egg mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Pour in the almond milk and mix again.
- 6
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine and will disappear during baking.
Overmixing spelt flour can make the cake dense and slightly chewy, so a light hand is important here.
- 7
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- 8
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting a warm cake will cause the yogurt frosting to slide off, so patience here really pays off.
- 9
To make the frosting, beat the room temperature cream cheese with a hand mixer or wooden spoon until smooth. Add the Greek yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla extract and beat together until thick and creamy.
If the frosting feels too soft, refrigerate it for 15 minutes before spreading.
- 10
Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread half the frosting evenly over the top. Place the second layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the surface. Dust with a little cinnamon and serve.
Chilling the assembled cake for 20 minutes before slicing helps it hold together beautifully.
Nutrition per serving
248kcal
Calories
7g
Protein
32g
Carbs
10g
Fat
4g
Fibre
13g
Sugar
195mg
Sodium
Pro Tips
- ✓
Roasting sweet potatoes rather than microwaving or boiling them gives a much drier, more flavourful mash that blends into the batter without adding excess moisture.
- ✓
Bring your eggs to room temperature before mixing as this helps them incorporate more smoothly into the batter.
- ✓
Spelt flour has a shorter gluten structure than regular wheat flour, so mix your batter gently and as briefly as possible.
- ✓
This cake tastes even better the following day once the spices have had time to mellow and deepen.
- ✓
If you want a taller, more impressive single-layer cake, bake the whole batter in one 20cm tin and increase the baking time to around 50 to 55 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Variations
- •
Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake
Replace 40g of the spelt flour with 40g of unsweetened cocoa powder. Increase the maple syrup to 120ml. The sweet potato and cocoa combination is deeply rich and fudgy.
- •
Orange and Sweet Potato Cake
Add the finely grated zest of one large orange to the wet ingredients and reduce the cinnamon to half a teaspoon. Stir two tablespoons of orange juice into the frosting for a bright, citrusy finish.
- •
Mini Sweet Potato Cupcakes
Divide the batter into a lined 12-hole muffin tin and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 to 22 minutes. Top each cooled cupcake with a dollop of the maple cream frosting.
Substitutions
- •Whole wheat spelt flour → Wholemeal plain flour (Use at a one-to-one ratio. The flavour is slightly more robust but works very well with the spices.)
- •Coconut oil → Light olive oil or avocado oil (Both work well at the same quantity and produce a similarly moist crumb.)
- •Maple syrup → Raw honey (Use the same quantity. Note that honey is not vegan and has a slightly more floral sweetness.)
- •Greek yogurt in frosting → Thick coconut yogurt (Use the same quantity for a fully dairy-free frosting. Choose a full-fat variety for the best consistency.)
- •Almond milk → Oat milk, soy milk or regular semi-skimmed milk (Any liquid milk works here at the same quantity.)
- •Light cream cheese → Vegan cream cheese (Brands like Violife or Kite Hill work very well in the frosting at the same quantity.)
🧊 Storage
Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature for 15 minutes before eating for the best texture and flavour. Unfrosted cake layers can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in beeswax wrap or foil, for up to 2 days.
📅 Make Ahead
The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored wrapped at room temperature, or frozen for up to 1 month. The frosting can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Assemble the cake on the day you plan to serve it for the freshest result.
More Thanksgiving Desserts Recipes
Fudgy Gluten Free Pumpkin Blondies with Almond Flour
Healthy Thanksgiving Pumpkin Dessert Bars with Oat Crust and Spiced Filling
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Low Sugar with an Almond Oat Crust
