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Sweet Potato Cake With Crumble Topping

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Tender sweet potato cake with an oatmeal and brown sugar crumble topping makes a wonderful morning snack or evening dessert!

coffee cake made with sweet potatoes on a tan plate

Sweet Potato Cake

Sweet potatoes are one of my very favorite veggies and I look forward to making our most requested family recipe, Sweet Potato Casserole every year.

Each time I make that casserole I roast more than enough sweet potatoes to freeze the pulp to use another time.

I was planning on whipping it up into smoothies by re-creating my Pumpkin Pie Spice Smoothie.

Instead this delicious sweet potato cake happened!

Slice of sweet potato cake on a tan plate with cup of coffee on the side

Low Sugar Sweet Potato Cake

This recipe bakes in a 9 x 13 inch pan, so it’s perfect for a crowd.

When I first started to make this cake back in 2014 I used regular granulated and brown sugar. Since then I’ve cut back on my sugar intake significantly.

I left the cake recipe as originally written, but please check the notes for low sugar alternatives.

Remember that sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, so it doesn’t take a lot of extra sweetener to make this sweet potato cake a dessert.

The sugar in this cake can easily be halved and still taste like a treat.

On the other hand, if you use sugar alternatives like Truvia, erythritol, monk fruit or any other sweetener, feel free to experiment like I have.

Slice of sweet potato cake

How To Roast Sweet Potatoes

If you have time to roast sweet potatoes, which I highly recommend, you’ll love the delicious flavor they each potato yields.

Alternatively, if you are in a rush, use canned sweet potatoes (without sugar).

When I can’t find sugar free canned sweet potatoes, I’ll buy the lightly sweetened potatoes and rinse them well under water.

To roast sweet potatoes follow these steps, which is similar to the way I roasted the potatoes for this sweet potato soup:

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  2. Pick sweet potatoes that are approximately the same size.
  3. Wash each potato and slice in half.
  4. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
  5. Place in the oven on 375°F and roast for 45-60 minutes or until tender.
  6. Cool and with a spoon remove pulp.
  • Fresh sweet potatoes sliced on a baking sheet
  • tender baked sweet potatoes
  • Sweet potato pulp in a clear bowl

Sweet Potato Cake Recipe Instructions

Once the sweet potatoes are prepared the cake comes together quickly!

First, whisk together flour, sweetener, pumpkin pie spice.

Next, in a separate bowl mix together sweet potato pulp, milk, butter, eggs and vanilla.

Finally, mix all ingredients together until well incorporated and put batter in a lightly greased baking pan.

  • Ingredients for sweet potato cake recipe
  • sweet potatoes egg mix for crumble cake recipe
  • mixed cake batter made with sweet potatoes

Note – I used self-rising flour for this recipe, which has baking powder and salt already mixed in the blend.

To make with all-purpose flour, whisk your own self-rising flour by adding 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 2 cups of all-purpose flour.

https://www.thekitchn.com/

Crumble Topping Ingredients For Sweet Potato Cake

  • stick butter at room temperature
  • one cup each of the following brown sugar or sugar alternative
  • flour
  • old fashioned quick oats
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Crumble Topping Instructions

The crumble topping can be used in two different ways.

Either layer the cake with batter, half the crumble and repeat the layering OR add all the crumble to the top.

How To Make Crumble topping

  1. In a large bowl mix together sweetener, flour, oats and pumpkin pie spice.
  2. Add butter and with two forks or a pastry blender work butter into ingredients until large crumbs form.
  3. Top on sweet potato batter or layer as mentioned above.
  4. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until the center comes clean after sticking a toothpick in the center of the cake.
  • Ingredients for crumble on top of a coffee cake
  • coffee cake crumble mixed in a clear mixing bowl
  • coffee cake made with sweet potatoes in a baking pan

I brought this sweet potato cake to work before leaving on vacation and although I usually write a note explaining what I’m sharing, this time I left no hints to what was in the pan.

I was worried that if I mentioned that the cake was made with sweet potatoes, then it would sound too healthy and wouldn’t be eaten! haha!

First, just because it has a root veggie in it, it doesn’t make this completely healthy. Sweet potatoes do add a few extra vitamins that you might not get in other coffee cakes!

Second, silly me for thinking no one would like this!

The whole pan was clean by the end of the day, and no one questioned the ingredients. 

I take that as a major win for The Foodie Affair.

You’re welcome for the extra veggies.

Crumble cake made with sweet potatoes on a tan plate with a cup of coffee on the side.
Yield: 12 servings

Sweet Potato Coffee Cake

coffee cake made with sweet potatoes on a tan plate

Tender coffee cake made with sweet potatoes. The crumbly topping is filled with fall spices. Perfect for a holiday brunch or dessert.

The macronutrients will change significantly when using sugar alternatives.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 cups self rising flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 3/4 cups sweet potato pulp
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For Topping

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup self rising flour (you can use regular flour)
  • 1 cup Old fashioned quick oats
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl blend together sweet potato, milk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix into flour/sugar mixture and blend well.
  • In a separate bowl cut together with a pastry blender or fork the butter, brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and oats.
  • Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, top with half of the crumb mixture, then repeat.
  • Bake for 45 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

    • Notes

    In place of granulated sugar use replacements like Truvia, stevia, erythritol or a blend of your favorite sugar free sweetener.

    To substitute brown sugar in the crumble topping use Monk Fruit Golden.

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    12

    Serving Size:

    1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 418mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 2gSugar: 43gProtein: 6g

    Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.

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    © Sandra Shaffer
    Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
    Tender Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with a oatmeal and brown sugar topping makes a wonderful morning snack or evening dessert! #cake #sweetpotato #crumble #coffeecake #lowsugar #brunch #baking #thefoodieaffair
    Hugs Sandra Signature

     

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    7. Erica (@Erica's Recipes)

      well now this just looks like one of the tastiest things ever! this cake looks flaky, moist, and sooo tasty Sandra! and btw I love the new look of your site Sandra!

      Reply

    13. Hotly Spiced

      What a great way to transform leftovers! I do love the look of your coffee cake. It has great colour and texture and I’m sure flavour as well. Happy New Year to you and all your family, Sandra xx

      Reply

    23. Jennifer A Stewart

      I am digging this dessert for Thanksgiving and Halloween since everyone else always brings pumpkin pie! This is totally going to wow them!

      Reply

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