This sweet potato chocolate cake is moist, chocolatey and made with pureed sweet potato! It’s topped with a simple two-ingredient chocolate ganache. This easy dessert recipe is perfect for any holiday or occasion!
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You’d never know there’s pureed sweet potato mixed in this sweet potato chocolate cake recipe! Sweet potato adds nutrients and a bit of sweetness. It also makes the cake extra soft and moist.
This rich, chocolatey cake is also super easy to make! It’s one of those cake’s that simple to make and special enough for any occasion just like my viral Pumpkin and Olive Oil Cake.
If you love sneaking veggies into cake like I do, try this Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread and these yummy Chocolate Avocado Muffins.
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Why This Recipe Works
- This chocolate sweet potato cake is made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips and chocolate ganache! For another holiday flavored chocolate cake, check out this gingerbread chocolate cake.
- Sweet potato adds nutrients and replaces some of the fat like my recipe for chocolate carrot cake! You can sneak in some zucchini to this recipe for lemon zucchini cake.
- Mix it up by hand, with a whisk or with an electric mixer.
- It’s perfect for fall and the holidays just like my mini chocolate cheesecakes!
Ingredients
Below are some notes about some of the ingredients for this sweet potato and chocolate cake.
- Sweet potato– You need 1 cup of mashed sweet potato. I usually use a little more than 1 sweet potato to get 1 cup. Cook the sweet potato ahead of time (you can cook it in the microwave) then let it cool. Sweet potato makes the cake super moist. For a chocolate cake made with pureed fruit, try my chocolate persimmon cake!
- Vegetable Oil– Vegetable oil makes this cake moist and rich.
- Brown Sugar– Use light or dark brown sugar. Make sure to use fresh brown sugar.
- Buttermilk– Buttermilk makes the cake moist and rich.
- Eggs-Use 2 large, room temperature eggs.
- Cocoa Powder-Use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Mini chocolate chips-Use regular or mini semisweet chocolate chips.
- Chocolate: Use semisweet or dark chocolate for the ganache. Chop the chocolate finely to make it faster and more evenly.
- Heavy Cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Cream makes the ganache rich and spreadable.
See recipe card below for full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- I use fresh sweet potatoes. I haven’t tried using canned sweet potatoes. If you try using canned, make sure they are unsweetened.
- You can add canola oil in place of vegetable oil.
- Swap in whole milk for the buttermilk.
- Top with sour cream chocolate frosting instead of ganache! The frosting recipe from my raspberry chocolate cake would be delicious. You can also top it with cinnamon sugar like this blueberry cornmeal cake recipe and chocolate and pear cake!
Instructions
Step One: (Photo 1 above) Boil, bake or microwave sweet potato until tender. Allow to cool then peel then mash the potato with a fork, potato masher or food processor.
Step Two: (Photo 2 above). Whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step Three: (Photo 3 above) Use a whisk or hand mixer to beat the oil and sugar for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Beat until mixture thickens.
Step Four: (Photo 4 above). Add the sweet potato. Mix til combined.
Step Five: (Photo 5 above) Alternatively mix in the buttermilk with the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step Six: (Photo 6 above) Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step Seven: (Photo 7 above) Pour the batter into an 8 inch square pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 25. Cool completely before adding ganache.
Step Eight: (Photo 8 above) Add chocolate to a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 3 minutes. Whisk until the chocolate has melted completely. Spread over the cooled cake.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: You can cook the sweet potato days ahead of making the cake.
Tip #2: Use a long serrated knife to chop the chocolate. Smaller pieces melt faster and more evenly.
Tip #3: Use a fork, potato masher, or a food processor to puree the sweet potato. I recommend using a food processor. It makes the sweet potato super smooth.
Recipe FAQs
I prefer fresh sweet potatoes. I haven’t tried using canned sweet potatoes. If you try using canned, make sure they are unsweetened.
You can microwave, boil or bake the sweet potato. To microwave, prick the sweet potato allover with a fork and microwave it for about 5 minutes. You can also peel then chop it then simmer in a medium saucepan til tender or prick the sweet potato allover with a fork and bake at 400 F for 45-60 minutes.
Store this sweet potato cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
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Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup (133 g) mashed sweet potatoes cooked, cooled, peeled and pureed*
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) buttermilk room temperature
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (156.25 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 teaspoon) salt
- 1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (90 g) mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache
- 3 tablespoons (44.36 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup (131.25 g) semisweet chocolate about 4 ounces , chopped
Instructions
- Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment leaving an overhand on two sides. Spray the parchment with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the oil and sugar for one minute on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla followed by the mashed sweet potato. Alternatively mix in the buttermilk with the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when pressed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
- Run a knife along the sides of the cake pan. Use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Place the cake on the cooling rack and allow to cool completely topping it with the ganache.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan on medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Do not let it boil. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolate. Do not stir. Let stand 3-4 minutes then stir slowly with a metal spoon until the chocolate has melted and is completely combined with the heavy cream. Spread the mixture over the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Heather
Two weeks ago I had a glut of sweet potatoes and LOVED this recipe. Today I am overwhelmed by carrots, so subbed raw carrot for cooked sweet potato (didn’t realise there is actually a carrot chocolate cake elsewhere in this website). Anyway, it worked! I blitzed the carrot in a blender, mixed in the rest of the wet ingredients, then folded in the dry. A very forgiving and delicious way to use up carrots (and sweet potato). Had to put the cupcakes in the freezer to stop eating them in a single day! I know, from the sweet potato version, they will freeze beautifully. I am fully stocked with chocolate cake!
Natalie
Hi Heather, Haha I love this! So awesome how creative you got with this recipe and that’s amazing how stocked you are with chocolate cake! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe notes. I can’t wait to hear what you make next! 🙂
Heather
Wow! I got stuck with a huge amount of sweet potato in a veggie box delivery. So I made this cake (as cupcakes) with low expectations. It is such a great soft cake with a lovely texture and flavor, without a hint of vegetable. I topped the cakes with a simple passionfruit glaze. Superb. Thank you for turning a grumpy day, with too much sweet potato, into a fantastic day.
Natalie
Hey Heather! Aww that makes my day to hear this cake made your day 🙂 Thanks so much for making it and for sharing your recipe notes. That passionfruit glaze sounds like the perfect addition! Have a great weekend!
Star
Coming from a person who isn’t a fan of sweet potato, this cake was absolutely insane. Decadent, rich but light, and so incredibly chocolatey. The website was easy to use and insightful with helpful tips. I will be for sure adding Natalie’s website and name to my top favourite go to recipes!
Natalie
Hi Star! Oh my gosh your comment made my day! You described exactly what I had hoped this cake would be so it’s amazing to hear that! And so helpful you found my website easy to use and helpful!I’m honored it’ll be your favorite go to place for recipes. Thank you again and enjoy the rest of your weekend!! xo
Léna
Absolutely loved this recipe, super delicious.
The only thing is that I am using a tube pan and the cake is so moist that could sometimes feel a bit underbaked on the inside. Is this because of the sweet potato or is it just my cake? Thanks, so yummy anyway 🙂
Natalie
Hi Lena, So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Hmm I’m guessing it’s underbaked because of the pan size. The sweet potato will make the cake moist, but not underbaked. Hope that helps! Have a great day 🙂
Amy
This recipe comes out perfect every time and always disappears so quickly because my family love it so much! I sometimes use the rest of my baked sweet potato to make a butter-free frosting, by blending it up with melted chocolate, icing sugar and cocoa powder until smooth 😋 thank you again for the perfect recipe!
Natalie
Hey Amy! Thank you so much for your feedback and your yummy idea for using up the rest of the sweet potato! So thrilled you love this recipe. Have a great day! xo Natalie
Yam
Absolutely delicious and a great way to use up the sweet potato that was lingering in my fridge! It made the cake beautifully moist and had no taste of the sweet potato at all.
Natalie
Hi there! Thanks so much for making this recipe. I’m so happy you enjoyed it and that it was a yummy way to use up the sweet potato in your fridge 🙂 Have a great weekend!! -Natalie
Hind
what is the amount of the ingredients please?it’s not obvious
Natalie
Hi Hind, If you click the “jump to button” at the top of the blog post, you can go straight to the recipe card. You can also scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the full list of ingredients with their measurements. Please let me know if you have any other questions! -Natalie
Mar
Would a gluten-free version work? Coconut or Almond flour? Thanks
Natalie
Hi, Unfortunately I haven’t tried this cake with coconut or almond flour yet so I can’t say for sure how it would work. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Have a nice weekend. -Natalie
stephni
This is the BEST chocolate cake recipe. I bake very often and this is a winning recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. I usually use beetroot, but the sweet potato like you mention has no taste but still keeps the cake very moist. The most amazing, fudgy, moist and chocolate(ty) cake!!
Natalie
Hi Stephni! Thank you so much for your awesome comment! I’m so happy you love this cake as much as I do! You described it so perfectly and so cool that you use beetroot. I will have to try that sometime. Thank you again for taking the time to comment! Have a great day 🙂 Natalie
Sam
I love sweet potato on its own, sweet potato and chocolate? Umm yes! This brownie recipe had my children (who are very picky might I add) eating out of the pan. Definite must bake.
Natalie
So excited this sweet potato chocolate cake passed the picky children test 🙂 Thanks so much for making this, Sam!
Tina
I loved loved your cake!
I eat one piece every day which I warm in the microwave for 20 sec. Delish! Next time I’m going to experiment with banana instead of sweet potato and will put some chocolate chips on top also instead of the ganache.
Thanks for the recipe !😊
Natalie
Hi Tina! Thank you for trying this cake recipe! I’m so happy you loved it!! Great idea to enjoy a piece a day and the banana and chocolate chips sounds yummy too! Have a great rest of your week 🙂 Natalie
Barbara Briggs Ward
Love mixing ingredients you’d never think would go together and find out they do. Yum!
Natalie
I love that too! Who would have thought sweet potato and chocolate could be so delicious! 🙂