NEWS! I have just posted my , go check out that version too!
This Vegan Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake really takes the cake.
Looking for a healthy cake that’s full of dense, chocolate flavor? This vegan chocolate cake is fresh and moist, and the cake and frosting are both made with sweet potatoes. Oh yes!
Yes, a long recipe name. Worth every syllable, because this healthy chocolate cake is a PPF sensation.
And, do we really need another chocolate cake recipe?
What makes this Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake special?
You could say this one is special because it’s vegan, whole-grain, oil-free.
Or, that it’s special because it has nutrient-dense sweet potatoes in both the frosting and cake.
But, I think it’s special in that the whole is far more than the sum of its parts.
And, it’s special because of how readers are embracing it, and celebrating special family times with this recipe!
I was pretty fond of this recipe when I created it. My family was too. But, I truly didn’t know how all of you would feel about it.
It’s not a classic chocolate cake with a hefty dose of sugar and fat.
So, I wondered how well a ‘chocolate sweet potato cake’ would be accepted!
I had a fair idea through recipe testing, when one of my (very) oil-free-skeptical friends tried it for the first time.
He didn’t know it was oil-free, and said he was shocked because it was one of the best chocolate cakes he had tasted!
Then, other reports came in from testers – and now from many of you.
Our facebook group has been posting pic after pic of this cake, and it’s become a bit of a sensation in the group!
That’s it, I couldn’t resist any longer.
This Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake recipe is now yours, all yours.
Dig in, guys! x Dreena
This recipe is reprinted from Plant-Powered Families. Thanks for your continued support and reviews.
P.S. I use my Blendtec with the standard jar or WildSide jar for this sauce – if you want to shop, use Blendtec Coupon Code: YAY-BLENDTEC at checkout for 20% off.
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Sweets Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup peeled cooked, and cooled orange sweet potato (see note)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water divided
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole-grain spelt flour
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup mini or regular nondairy chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp scant sea salt
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tsp scant baking soda
Frosting
- 1 cup loosely packed peeled cooked, and cooled sweet potato (see note)
- 2/3 – 3/4 cup coconut sugar or other unrefined sugar see note
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup scant raw cashew butter or almond butter
- 1/4 tsp rounded sea salt
- 2-5 tbsp nondairy milk see tip
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly coat an 8” x 8” brownie/cake pan or a 9” round cake pan with coconut or other oil, and fit the bottom of the pan with a small piece of parchment paper.
- In a blender (or using a handheld blender and a deep cup or vessel), puree the sweet potato, 1/2 cup of the water, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and vanilla extract until completely smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut sugar, chocolate chips, and sea salt, then sift in the cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry (be sure to scrape out all the blended ingredients with a spatula, and use the remaining 1 tablespoon of water to rinse the blender jar and get out any remaining puree).
- Mix until just well incorporated.
- Transfer to the prepared pan, bake for 21–23 minutes, remove, and let cool on a cooling rack.
Frosting:
- Place the sweet potato, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, cashew butter, sea salt, 1–2 tablespoons of the milk, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth.
- It’s best to use a blender or processor (versus a stand mixer) if using orange sweet potato, to fully smooth out the potato.
- Taste, and add more sweetener if desired, and also another 2–3 tablespoons of milk if needed to thin to preferred consistency (you may need more milk using yellow sweet potato as they aren’t quite as moist as the orange).
- Puree until smooth, scraping down the blender/processor bowl as needed.
- Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use on the Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake. Or, get a spoon and dig in!
Notes
- Cake Note:
- Frosting Notes:
This post was originally published in November 2015 and updated on January 24, 2022.
Zarina says
Hi Dreena,
I am a huge fan of chocolate cakes but I am allergic to gluten and nuts. What would be the best substitute for flour? I can use gluten free all purpose flour and oat flour. Will any of those be a good alternate?
Thanks.
Judy Shepherd says
Hi, I am obviously not Dreena, but have some experience with baking. My kitchen is my laboratory where many experiments are performed.
My experience with gluten-free flours has been that they tend to be gritty. Hopefully you can find one that isn’t and if the label says it can be used in place of gluten flours it should work.
I have made a cake with oat flour that I ground myself, and it was very dense. I would suggest trying a very fine grind and going light on the measure (don’t pack into measuring cup but spoon in and level off) to get a cake batter consistency.
Lydia says
Hi Dreena,
Sounds fabulous!
I was wondering, can I make the frosting a week in advance? And can I put the cake (with or without frosting) in the freezer?
We are but a two people household, my husband and I. And no close friends or relatives nearby to drop a piece off. So we’d have to eat the whole cake ourselves. Absolutely not a bad thing, because I suspect it’ll be delicious, but I don’t wish for us to devour an entire cake in just one weekend lol.
Looking forward to your response; thanks in advance!
Lydia
Gina says
Hi! I’m going to make this later in the week for my son’s second birthday.
I only have 100% whole wheat flour, King Arthur’s GF flour, or oat flour. Are any of those suitable substitutes?
Thanks!
Dee Jones says
Gina, I just used King Arthur’s GF in 3 of these cakes. They turned out great!
Roz says
Hi Dreena. Can’t wait to try this recipe!I don’t have coconut sugar. Do you think date sugar would work? Thanks!
Dreena says
Hi Roz, yes, should be okay. I do find date sugar has a bit of a different texture but overall should be fine!
Michelle says
One question: if I can’t find Spelt flour during this time, can I use whole wheat pastry flour? Or would adjustments need to be made in addition to this?
Dreena says
Hi Michelle, yes, you can. Use a touch less, about 1 tbsp. Should work fine!