Description
This Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake offers a moist, rich chocolate flavor enhanced by the natural sweetness and creaminess of sweet potatoes. Featuring a luscious sweet potato-based frosting, this cake is a perfect dairy-free dessert that combines wholesome ingredients and vibrant taste, ideal for vegan and health-conscious dessert lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 250 g sweet potato puree (weighed after cooking)
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 180 ml non-dairy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 170 g coconut sugar
- 80 ml olive oil
- 45 ml espresso
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 200 g sweet potato puree (weighed after cooking)
- 200 g dark chocolate (melted)
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep sweet potato: If starting with raw sweet potatoes, roast about 700g on a lined baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 40-45 minutes until soft. Cool to room temperature, then puree or mash. Measure 450g of cooked sweet potato puree in total.
- Prepare cake pan and oven: Line a 7.5 or 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper on the base and sides. Preheat the oven to fan-forced 170°C (340°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F).
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift together flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt into a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 250g sweet potato puree, non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, olive oil, espresso, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-combined.
- Combine batter: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Then use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 50 minutes, testing doneness with a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center—you want it to come out almost clean with a few crumbs. If wet batter remains, bake for an additional 5 minutes as needed.
- Cool the cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing the springform ring. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Prepare and apply frosting: Place sweet potato puree, melted dark chocolate, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and vanilla extract into a food processor. Blitz until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
Notes
- For best results, use Dutch-process cocoa powder as it delivers a richer chocolate flavor and better texture.
- Non-dairy milk options like almond, soy, or oat milk work well for this vegan recipe.
- Make sure the sweet potatoes are fully cooked and mashed to ensure a smooth batter and frosting.
- Espresso enhances the chocolate flavor but can be omitted if desired.
- The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
