Exquisitely moist and tender, this sweet potato cake is infused with warm spices and slathered in a smooth and dreamy vanilla bean cream cheese frosting!
Being that pumpkin is extremely popular during the holidays, sweet potatoes tend to get a bit overshadowed. The only time they seem to be acknowledged is during Thanksgiving when someone bakes up a delicious sweet potato casserole. By the way, if you’re looking for the BEST sweet potato casserole in the world, check out my recipe over HERE.
So to give sweet potatoes the recognition they so rightly deserve, I baked up a cake that highlights their natural sweetness and flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
Perfectly moist crumb: This cake is loaded with sweet potato puree, making it supremely moist. It’s also not overly dense or oily, thanks to the fact that it contains very little oil.
Vanilla bean cream cheese frosting: Cream cheese frosting was the obvious choice for this cake because it pairs so well with the warm spices. I love the floral sweetness and appearance of real vanilla beans, so I added vanilla bean paste to the frosting.
Perfect for the holidays: This cake might look ordinary, but the flavor and texture are extraordinary. No doubt people will be licking their plates clean after devouring this heavenly cake. In fact, you might want to double the recipe…
Easy to make: This cake is a one-bowl recipe, making it super simple to throw together in less than 30 minutes. You can also make it the day before you plan to serve it, helping to lighten the load of duties you have on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
The Easiest Way To Cook Sweet Potatoes
In the past, I’ve roasted whole sweet potatoes in the oven until they’re fork-tender. The only problem is that it can take FOREVER–45-60 minutes!! Using a microwave, on the other hand, takes a fraction of the time. Depending on the size of your sweet potato, it should take 5-8 minutes when heated in the microwave. Just make sure to puncture the sweet potato a few times with a fork to allow for venting. Let the sweet potato cool for about 30 minutes before peeling off the skin.
Key Ingredients
Mashed Sweet Potatoes: No need to peel the sweet potatoes. Just stick them in the microwave until fork-tender, then allow them to cool for 30 minutes. The steam from the potato will cause the skin to separate from the flesh, making it super easy to remove the peel once it’s cooled. I used Garnet sweet potatoes (orange flesh), but any variety will work. I just wouldn’t used the canned sweet potatoes since they contain a lot of added liquid.
Sour Cream and Vegetable Oil: Along with mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream and vegetable oil help to produce that soft and tender crumb. However, unlike most sweet potato cake recipes which might contain a whole cup of oil, this recipe only needs 1/4 cup. Sour cream replaces some of that oil, while also adding richness to the cake.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: I used a higher ratio of brown sugar since it offers a more complex flavor with notes of caramel. Brown sugar also adds more moisture than granulated sugar, preventing the cake from drying out and keeping it moist longer.
Warm Spices: To enhance the flavor of the cake, I added ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. This combination of fall spices naturally complements the earthiness of the sweet potatoes and the sweetness of the brown sugar.
Full-Fat Cream Cheese: This isn’t the time to go low-fat, people. Besides, this cake contains sweet potatoes, so it might as well be a health food. All jokes aside, you’ll want to stick with full-fat block-style cream cheese for the frosting. It’s much thicker, more stable, and richer than reduced-fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese from the tub. Also, make sure to start with room temperature cream cheese to ensure a smooth, lump-free consistency.
Vanilla Bean Paste: You can also use pure vanilla extract, but I prefer the more robust flavor and appearance of the tiny vanilla bean specks throughout the frosting. Trader Joe’s has a great vanilla bean paste that’s very reasonably priced.
How do I double the recipe?
Doubling the recipe is easy peasy! Simply double all of the ingredients and pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch glass baking dish or pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How should I store this cake?
Since it’s topped with cream cheese frosting, you’ll need to keep this cake covered in the refrigerator. It should keep for up to 5 days. I recommend letting the cake sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving since the flavor is better and it’s much softer as well.
Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cake:
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- Pinch salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk both sugars, eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla together until combined. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices, stirring until just combined.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese, and salt together on high until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Add the vanilla bean paste, beating until completely incorporated.
- Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve immediately, or cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.