Sweet Potato Coffee Cake

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There’s something about the holidays that makes us all itch to get into the kitchen and bake. Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is a tried and true breakfast cake that isn’t too sweet. It has loads of sweet potato flavor and is best enjoyed while it’s warm, making it ideal for a cold morning.

I’m always inspired to make breakfast during the holiday season. There’s just something about whipping up a warm, cozy breakfast for the family that has traveled halfway across the US to celebrate with us. Everyone’s morning will be much happier with the scent of sweet potato coffee cake in the air.

Coffee cake should be a breakfast staple in your kitchen. And this recipe is the one you need in your repertoire. The batter is thick and packed full of mashed sweet potato. It bakes up tall and fluffy. Vegetable oil is used in place of butter to yield an impeccably moist cake. It adds to the wonderfully lush texture that practically melts in your mouth.

• Sugar: Both white and brown sugar are used for the cake.
• All-purpose flour: Measured correctly.
• Oats: Quick-cook oats work best for the streusel topping.
• Pecans
• Butter: Unsalted sweet cream butter is best for the topping.
• Oil: Use vegetable or canola oil for the cake.
• Vanilla
• Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda are used to give the cake rise.
• Spices: Salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves are used to flavor the cake
• Milk: Use whole milk for the best result.
• Sweet potato: Cook the sweet potato, then mash and weigh it.

1. Make the topping. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, oats, and pecans in a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
2. Make the cake. Whisk the oil oil granulated sugar together. Mix in the eggs, sweet potato, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add half to the potato mixture. Mix in the milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture.
4. Spread into a greased and lined 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle the topping over the top.
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
6. Allow the cake to cool, then drizzle the top with a glaze made of confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Jump to Recipe

• Measure the flour correctly! I prefer to use a digital scale to weigh ingredients instead of relying on cups. You can read more about how to measure flour the correct way.
• You can easily double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13 inch pan. Be sure to choose a light colored pan for the best baking results.

• Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
• Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Peanut Butter and Banana Coffee Cake
• Raspberry Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Sweet Potato Coffee Cake

4.36 from 14 votes

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There's something about the holidays that makes us all itch to get into the kitchen and bake. Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is a tried and true breakfast cake that isn't too sweet. It has loads of sweet potato flavor and is best enjoyed while it's warm, making it ideal for a cold morning. The secret ingredient, vegetable oil, ensures that this coffee cake will stay moist. Whether you make this coffee cake for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack, I'm certain you will enjoy it.

Jen Sobjack

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Ingredients

For the topping

• ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (32 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (22 g) quick-cooking oats
• ¼ cup (28 g) chopped pecans
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup (46 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

For the cake

• ⅓ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (250 g) mashed cooked sweet potato
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ cup (120 ml) milk, at room temperature

For the glaze

• ½ cup (80 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Make the topping

• In a small bowl combine the sugars, flour, oats, pecans, and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles peas sized crumbs. set aside.

Make the cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat the oil and sugar together until well combined.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the sweet potato and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir with a whisk.
• Add half of the flour mixture to the oil and sugar. Stir to combine. Gradually add the milk followed by the remaining flour mixture.
• Mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
• Remove the sides of the pan and top the cake with glaze.

Make the glaze

• Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.

Notes

• Cover tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Or wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in three layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 2100IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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