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This sweet potato chocolate cake is made with pureed sweet potato, and yields a moist and rich chocolate cake! No grains and no dairy needed, no one will believe this cake is made with sweet potato!
Sweet Potato Cake
When it comes to sweet potato dessert recipes, I love me some fudgy brownies, muffins, and this sweet potato cake.
As we are in the midst of all things fall and autumn, it means one key ingredient- Sweet Potato! To be quite honest, even if it wasn’t peak season right now, I’d find a way to sneak them in. They are one of the most versatile ingredients in my baked goods.
Sweet potatoes add texture, moisture and can often be used to help reduce the overall fat content. In fact, the sweet potato was a fabulous substitution for any butter or excessive oil!
I know many of my friends in the Northern Hemisphere have Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up which means one thing- Loads of leftover sweet potato. Never fear- Your leftover sweet potatoes will be transformed into this sweet potato chocolate cake!
Can you taste the sweet potato?
Short answer- No. Not at all. Not even in the slightest.
Again, the sweet potato adds to the texture, NOT the flavor.
For those of you skeptical about having a sweet potato hidden in a dessert, I promise you won’t be able to tell. My sweet potato brownies are one of my most-made recipes and NO ONE can tell they are in there!
How do you make a sweet potato chocolate cake?
The Ingredients
- Coconut flour– A low carb and grain free flour, be sure to sift your coconut flour first to ensure no clumps remain.
- Cocoa powder– Use either dark cocoa powder or a good quality dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Sweetener of choice– Any granulated sweetener can be used. To keep it grain free and paleo, use coconut sugar. If you have no dietary restrictions, use white or brown sugar.
- Baking powder– Gives some rise and fluffiness to the cake.
- Salt– Brings out the natural sweetness of the cake.
- Sweet potato– Cooked, cooled, and mashed. See my tips below for the best way to puree your sweet potato!
- Eggs– Room temperature eggs are best. See my tips for making this vegan/without eggs.
- Coconut oil– Gives the cake the moist texture, without needing any butter!
- Maple syrup– A refined sugar free sweetener, it gives extra sweetness and moisture to the cake. You can also use agave nectar.
- Chocolate Frosting– Use your favorite frosting. I’ve used both my healthy frosting and keto frosting for this.
The Instructions
In a high speed blender or food processor, add all your ingredients, except for the frosting, and blend until thick and smooth. Transfer the cake batter into a 9 or 10-inch cake pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 180C/350F, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan completely, before removing and frosting.
How to cook the sweet potato
- Microwave– Cut your sweet potatoes into chunks and place them in a microwave safe bowl. Pour 2-3 inches of water and microwave for 6-7 minutes, or until soft and tender.
- Oven– Cover sweet potatoes in tin foil and bake for 40-50 minutes, until soft and tender.
- Stovetop– Fill a saucepan with water and heat on medium until it begins to boil. Once boiling, add your sweet potatoes and reduce the heat to low. Let potatoes simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until soft and tender.
Once the sweet potato is cooked, allow it to cool completely, before blending or pureeing until smooth. I use either a stick blender or food processor to puree it.
Can I make this cake without eggs?
For a vegan sweet potato chocolate cake, replace the eggs with formulated egg substitutes, like Bob’s egg replacer.
I haven’t tried this with flax eggs or chia eggs.
Can I make this a keto or lower carb cake?
Yes, if you’d like to make this keto friendly, make the following substitutions-
- Sweet Potato– Replace this with equal amounts of pumpkin puree.
- Maple Syrup– Use keto maple syrup.
- Granulated sweetener– Use either monk fruit sweetener or erythritol.
Tips to make the best sweet potato cake
- Do not overbake the cake. Once the toothpick comes out of the cake center clean, it is perfect to remove it. Even if it seems to be a little fragile, the cake continues to cook as it is cooling down.
- If you don’t mash your own sweet potato, you can use canned sweet potato puree. Ensure that it is of unsweetened variety.
- The ingredients are enough for 1 single layer cake. If you’d like a two layer or three layer cake, simply double or triple the ingredients, respectively.
Storing and Freezing Cake
- To store: Store cake in the refrigerator, in a sealed container. I recommend eating the cake within 2 weeks. Any longer and the cake will become even moister.
- To freeze: Place slices of cake in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
More delicious cakes you’ll enjoy
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup sugar of choice white, brown, coconut, or sugar free subs
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato 3-4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 large eggs * or vegan subs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9 or 10-inch cake pan and set aside.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, add all your ingredients and pulse until smooth and combined. Transfer the cake batter into the greased cake pan.
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, before frosting it.
Notes
Nutrition
Made these as cupcakes for my son’s 2nd birthday. Very yummy and so much chocolate flavor. I did not have almond flour so I used whole wheat, may have added to the density but turned out great. I added strained Greek yogurt with maple syrup for the icing. I always make healthy cakes for birthdays for my children, then they can eat as much as they want for 2 days. LOL. Thank you for a great recipe!
Family LOVED this cake so much 🙂
Can regular flour be substituted for the coconut flour?
Not that I’ve tried.
This was one of the best things I’ve made in a very long time! Thank you for this recipe that doesn’t effect my blood sugars! Finally!! Xxx
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
LOVE IT! x
Can I use pumpkin purée in place of the sweet potato in this recipe?
Also, your video for this recipe says it’s the single-serve version, but it’s actually a 4-ingredient mug cake. but for THAT recipe, how should i bake it if i don’t microwave it?
oh okay thank you :). you should make that note more clear because it doesn’t say to sub out the coconut flour and the protein powder. it says you may need to add water to the coconut flour, and then it says you can sub this out for 2 cups of flour, so it makes it seem like you only mean the coconut flour
i don’t see the comment i tried to post. delete this if there’s just an approval system haha. but basically i was asking what amounts and ingredients to follow if i use 2 cups of all-purpose flour like your notes say, AND sub out the protein powder. i also don’t use granulated sweeteners but i don’t think i have to sub anything for that. your oats version didn’t have protein powder and seemed to sub some things for it but i’m confused 😛
Hi! You should just follow one of the options- Not pick and choose bits from each one or else it won’t work out.
If you use the 2 cups flour one, there isn’t protein powder in it.
Bake covered or uncovered?
Uncovered!
I did try it with oats. I just use 2 cups of gluten free organic old fashioned oats and a quarter of a cup of coconut flour. It came out wonderfully.
Fabulous! Thanks for the feedback!
Made it! Loved it! Thank you!
Do you think oat flour would work okay?
Hi, I haven’t tried it with that.
Have made into muffins used butternut squash could you use carrots or other vegetables. And can you freeze them
Oh I love that!
Is the second version a pourable batter? Mine was kinda thick.
Hi there! Sometimes it can be a little thick, depending on the brands of ingredients used 🙂
Do you have an opinion on which sweet potato is better to use – the white flesh/purple skin, or the orange?
I find orange works the best 🙂