Sweet Potato Cake
This Sweet Potato Cake recipe is a delightful fusion of the earthy flavors of sweet potatoes and warm fall spices. It is a moist, tender, flavorful cake topped with a velvety smooth whipped cream cheese frosting.
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Why You’ll Love This
Sweet potatoes and cinnamon are just made for each other! This cake brings the flavors of fall right to your table.
- Flavor and Texture – The combination of sweet potatoes and aromatic spices creates fabulous flavor. The sweet potatoes and oil add moisture to the cake, resulting in a soft and tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting – The whipped cream cheese frosting provides a delightful contrast to the sweet potato spice cake’s sweetness. It’s light, airy, and less sweet, unlike a thick, oversweet cream cheese frosting.
- Preparation – It’s as quick and easy as homemade carrot cake. This cake recipe uses shredded raw sweet potato. There is no need to cook and mash the sweet potatoes for sweet potato puree.
- Crowd Pleaser – Whether you’re serving it to family or friends, this sweet potato cake is sure to please a crowd. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any day of the year.
Some of our other fall favorite desserts to make are Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread, Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Bread, Apple Cider Donut Loaf Cake, and Apple Butter Bread.
Key Ingredients
Please see the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and instructions.
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Wet Ingredients – Eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil (or canola oil), and vanilla extract.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg.
- Sweet Potatoes and Pecans – Use real sweet potatoes, not canned sweet potatoes. You will need 2-3 medium size sweet potatoes. This sweet potato cake recipe also calls for toasted and chopped pecans.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – 8 ounces of cold cream cheese. There is no need to bring it to room temperature.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Or heavy cream can be used. This should also be very cold.
- Flavorings – Extra Fine granulated sugar (or regular granulated sugar), salt, and vanilla extract.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cake
How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Tips
- Measure the flour properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level in a dry measuring cup.
- Use room-temperature eggs. This will help the batter ingredients incorporate more easily.
- Do not overmix! When adding dry ingredients to wet, mix until just combined. Overmixing can result in a tougher cake.
- Use fresh sweet potatoes for the best flavor!
- Toast the pecans in a 350-degree F oven for about 5 minutes if they are chopped. Pecan halves will take 8-10 minutes.
- The whipped cream cheese frosting uses extra fine sugar because it will dissolve faster than regular granulated sugar. I have used both types of sugar it will just take a little more beating time to dissolve the regular granulated sugar.
Variations
- Swap the pecans for toasted walnuts. Or omit them.
- Add about 2/3 cup of raisins or dried cranberries. Toss them in a tablespoon of flour before incorporating them into the batter.
- Omit the frosting and dust with powdered sugar.
FAQs
Can I make this into a layered cake?
Yes! Use two 9-inch round cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Can I make this cake ahead?
Absolutely! This cake is even better the next day.
Storing
Because of the cream cheese frosting store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing
I don’t recommend freezing this cake frosted. Dairy tends to weep and separate after freezing and thawing.
But you can freeze the baked cake unfrosted. Allow to cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost the cake as directed.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet Potato Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This cake has the perfect balance of sweet fall spice flavors with a moist and tender crumb.
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Servings: 16
Calories: 569kcal
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg fresh is best
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 4 large Eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 3/4 cups Granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 cups Fresh sweet potatoes peeled and shredded (about 2 medium)
- 1 cup Pecans toasted and chopped
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream Cheese cold
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy whipping cream cold
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.2 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Baking soda, 2 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Ground allspice, 1/2 tsp Ground ginger, 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-low speed beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract for about 2 minutes. Scraping down the bowl as necessary.4 large Eggs, 1 1/2 cups Vegetable oil, 1 3/4 cups Granulated sugar, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating until combined. Fold in the shredded sweet potatoes and pecans.3 cups Fresh sweet potatoes, 1 cup Pecans
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting
- Chill a large bowl in the freezer to make the whipped cream cheese icing. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks in the chilled bowl.1 1/2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- In another bowl, soften the cream cheese with a mixer, and add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Make sure the sugar has dissolved. Fold the whipped cream gently into the softened cream cheese.8 oz Cream Cheese, 3/4 cup Granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake and refrigerate for at least 1 hour for the frosting to set up.
Notes
Use room-temperature eggs. This will help the batter ingredients incorporate more easily.
Do not overmix! When adding dry ingredients to wet, mix until just combined. Overmixing can result in a tougher cake.
Frosting – Use extra fine granulated sugar if you can find some. But if using regular granulated sugar you will need it beat it with the cream cheese a little longer for it to dissolve.
To Bake a 2-Layer Cake – Use two 9-inch pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cupcakes – Bake for 20-25 minutes. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
Storing – Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing – You can freeze the unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 2 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost the cake as directed.
Nutrition
Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 4128IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg
I modified this a bit, I used brown sugar in place of the white granulated sugar, and used a little less oil (1 cup) and 4 tablespoons butter (as we were trying to save an ‘experiment’ my teenage brother started. So, I think it was (1 – 1½ cups brown sugar, I’d have to try it again to be sure, and he said something about 3-4 tbsp. Granulated sugar too, so we had a little of both, haha), oil (1 cup + 4 tbsp melted butter) and for the sweet potato he pureed it with an immersion blender.
Aside from that, we followed the directions and ingredients given for this recipe and it came out amazing! (I might not have worked the cream quite enough, but that’s on me, and the steps for the icing 1 & 2 seemed to be missing something, since it says to whip the cream, but never tells when the heavy cream and cream cheese are to be combined, just talked about separately?) So, I wasn’t sure here, and my icing came out a little looser than I’d expected, not running, but it didn’t quite set either. But it tasted amazing, and I’ll definitely be saving this recipe to try again!
Hi, Stephanie. Thank you for pointed out the missing step. We’ve update the recipe. “Fold the whipped cream gently into the softened cream cheese.” This is whipped cream cheese frosting and it will be a little looser than regular cream cheese icing. Happy Thanksgiving!