Description

This rich and moist Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake combines the natural sweetness and creaminess of cooked sweet potatoes with the deep flavor of dark chocolate. Perfect as a vegan and refined sugar-free dessert, it features a luscious chocolate frosting made by melting chocolate into hot sweet potatoes, while the cake itself is tender and chocolatey thanks to a blend of cocoa powder, almond butter, and plant milk. Ideal for those seeking a healthier twist on traditional chocolate cakes without compromising on flavor.

Ingredients

Chocolate Frosting

110 g / ½ cup hot mashed cooked sweet potato
100 g / 3.5 oz vegan dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped roughly
3 tbsp maple syrup or plant milk (to taste)

Cake Batter

110 g / ½ cup mashed cooked sweet potato
360 ml / 1½ cup almond milk or other thin plant milk
120 ml / ½ cup smooth hazelnut or almond butter
200 g / 1 cup sugar (coconut sugar recommended for refined sugar free version)
180 g / 1½ cups all purpose wheat flour or gluten free all purpose flour mix
75 g / ¾ cup cacao powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt

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Instructions

Prepare the Chocolate Frosting: Place ½ cup of hot sweet potato and roughly chopped dark chocolate into a food processor. Process until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy, forming the frosting base.
Adjust Sweetness and Consistency: Taste the frosting and add maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter. If you skip the maple syrup, add plant milk gradually to reach a spreadable consistency. Transfer the frosting to a bowl and set aside.
Preheat and Prepare Baking Tin: Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a 900 g / 2 lb cake tin with baking paper and position the oven rack one notch below the middle.
Make the Wet Cake Batter: In the food processor, blend ½ cup cooked sweet potato with ½ cup almond milk until smooth. Add the remaining wet ingredients (almond milk, nut butter, sugar) and process until fully combined. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl. If no processor is available, mash the sweet potato with a fork and mix in a splash of almond milk before adding other wet ingredients.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a separate bowl, then mix well.
Incorporate Dry into Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches, gently folding each time with a spatula until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture, especially if using wheat flour with gluten.
Transfer and Bake: Pour the thick batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and Frost: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin before spreading the chocolate frosting evenly over the top.

Notes

Using coconut sugar instead of refined sugar keeps this cake refined sugar free.
If you don’t have a food processor, mashing sweet potato by hand with a fork and stirring thoroughly works fine.
Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense cake.
Ensure the cake is completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the chocolate frosting.
This cake is naturally vegan and can be made gluten free by using a gluten free flour mix.
Adjust sweetness of frosting depending on your chocolate’s bitterness and personal preference.