Description
This Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting is a moist, rich dessert that cleverly uses sweet potatoes for natural sweetness and a velvety texture. Perfect for a plant-based diet, it features a luscious chocolate cake with a creamy, chocolate-infused sweet potato frosting that is both dairy-free and egg-free, offering a guilt-free indulgence for all occasions.
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: Roast approximately 700g of raw sweet potatoes on a lined baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 40-45 minutes until soft. Cool to room temperature and puree or mash with a fork to yield 450g of cooked sweet potato puree.
- Preparation: Line the sides and base of a 7.5 or 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to fan-forced 170°C (340°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F).
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift together the flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt into a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 250g of the sweet potato puree with non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, olive oil, espresso, and vanilla extract until homogeneous.
- Make the batter: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients using a rubber spatula until just combined to maintain airiness.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with a few crumbs. If wet batter remains, bake for an additional 5 minutes as needed.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frosting: Combine 200g sweet potato puree, melted dark chocolate, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blitz until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the cooled cake.
Notes
- If starting with raw sweet potatoes, roasting yields the best flavor and texture for the puree.
- Using Dutch-process cocoa powder enhances the chocolate flavor richness.
- Non-dairy milk options such as almond, soy, or oat milk work well.
- Coconut sugar provides a natural, lower glycemic sweetness.
- Olive oil contributes healthy fats and moistness to the cake.
- Espresso intensifies the chocolate flavor without overpowering the cake.
- Vegan Greek-style yogurt adds creaminess and tang to the frosting.
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
