Description
This Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake is a moist, naturally sweetened dessert made with wholesome ingredients like mashed sweet potato, almond butter, and pure maple syrup. It features a rich cocoa flavor and an optional dairy-free chocolate ganache topping. Perfect for a nutritious treat that satisfies chocolate cravings without refined sugars or gluten.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- 1 cup unsweetened almond butter
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tsp sea salt
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Sweet Potato: Wrap the sweet potato in a wet paper towel and microwave for 5 minutes. Flip and microwave for another 5 minutes. If not soft enough, microwave an additional 3-5 minutes until very soft. Alternatively, boil or roast the sweet potato in the oven. Allow to cool completely.
- Mash the Sweet Potato: Remove the skin and discard. Mash the sweet potato until creamy and measure out 1 cup.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch square or round cake pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, almond butter (softened if needed), eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Mix until thick and sticky.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in cocoa powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon (if using), and sea salt until a thick batter forms. Optionally, fold in up to 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Bake the Cake: Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake on the center rack for 28 minutes or until a digital thermometer inserted reads between 190 and 205 degrees F.
- Prepare Ganache: While cake bakes, combine chocolate chips, coconut milk, coconut oil (or butter), and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and fully melted (about 60 seconds).
- Apply Ganache: Pour warm ganache over the hot cake, spreading evenly. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to set the ganache and cool the cake faster.
- Serve: Slice into individual portions and enjoy.
Notes
- Store cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freeze cake in a freezer or zip lock bag for up to 3 months.
- Ganache can be made with half & half or heavy cream as a dairy alternative to coconut milk.
- Ensure sweet potato is fully cooled before mixing to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
- If almond butter is chilled, warm it briefly for easier mixing.
- The ground cinnamon in the batter is optional but adds warm flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/9 of cake)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
