This Vegan Sweet Potato Bread is made with roasted sweet potatoes and topped with a vanilla marshmallow fluff frosting for a truly delicious fall treat!
My hot take is that sweet potato desserts are VERY underrated. Pumpkin gets all the credit this time of year, but sweet potato is just as sweet. Plus, it has a nutty flavor and creamy texture that is great in sweet & savory recipes.
If you loved my Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls or Sweet Potato Biscuits, you have to try this sweet potato loaf cake next!
Ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- Sweet Potato: I recommend roasting your own sweet potatoes for this recipe vs. using canned sweet potato.
- The flavor is SO much richer and really shines through when using roasted & mashed potatoes!
- Soy milk: Soy milk has recently become my go-to for baking since it's thick and creamy without much added sweetness!
- Swap 1:1 with oat milk or almond milk for similar results.
- Olive oil: I love the texture that baking with olive oil gives this sweet potato loaf.
- You can swap 1:1 with melted vegan butter or a neutral vegetable oil.
- Marshmallow fluff: To keep this recipe vegan, I used Dandies Marshmallow Cream, which is actually SO delicious!
- I haven't been able to find this online, but I found it at a local grocery store and at Whole Foods!
- If you can't find this, you can omit the frosting from the recipe
- Alternatively, make a maple buttercream frosting as I used in my Carrot Cake Cupcakes or a pumpkin spice frosting as I used on my Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.
- Maple syrup: Use a high-quality maple syrup in this recipe, such as Coombs maple syrup- it really adds the best flavor to this loaf cake.
How to make a sweet potato loaf cake
Roast the sweet potatoes:
Start by roasting your sweet potatoes. You'll need 1 cup of mashed sweet potato, so I recommend roasting 2 potatoes to make sure you have enough.
First, wash the potatoes to remove any dirt. Then, pat dry. Add the potatoes to a baking tray and pierce with a fork several times. This helps air escape when you're roasting the potatoes and prevents them from exploding in the oven!
After that, add the potatoes to the oven and roast at 425F until they are soft inside.
Discard the outer skin, add the sweet potato flesh to a bowl, and mash until smooth.
I prefer to make the sweet potatoes the day before baking the bread, as they need to be cold when adding to the cake batter.
Make the sweet potato cake batter:
Add the roasted & mashed sweet potato, soy milk, sugar, brown sugar, olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla to a bowl and whisk together.
Then, add in the dry ingredients, including the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Switch to a spatula and gently mix into a thick batter with no dry spots of flour remaining.
Add to loaf & bake:
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease any exposed sides. Then, pour in the sweet potato cake batter.
Use a spatula to smooth the batter out. Then, run a knife down the center of the batter. This creates a controlled spot for a neat, symmetrical crack as the bread rises.
Add the loaf to the oven and bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes or until cooked through and beginning to brown on top.
Use a butter knife to gently release the outer edges of the loaf from the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Make the marshmallow frosting:
Once the sweet potato loaf has cooled completely, make the frosting.
Start by whipping the butter and powdered sugar together until fluffy. Then, add in the marshmallow fluff, soy milk, and vanilla. Whip until you have a thick and smooth frosting.
The fluff is VERY sticky, so you don't want to add it in until the butter and sugar are creamed, or the frosting may separate.
Frost, slice, & serve!
Use an icing spatula to spread the vegan marshmallow fluff frosting onto the bread. You can sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or pumpkin spice on top for a fun twist. Then, slice, serve, and enjoy!
FAQ & Tips:
Can I make this sweet potato loaf gluten-free?
I haven't tried it, but using a gluten-free 1:1 flour like this one from Bob's Red Mill may work!
Unfortunately, substituting other flour alternatives like coconut flour, almond flour, etc., will not work, as it's not a 1:1 substitution.
How do I store leftover vegan sweet potato cake?
If unfrosted, you can store the cake in a closed container or wrapped in tin foil/plastic wrap at room temperature for 24-48 hours.
If frosted, the cake needs to be stored in the fridge or freezer. If storing in the fridge, store wrapped in tinfoil/plastic wrap for up to 3 days. After that time, the cake loses its ideal texture.
The vegan sweet potato cake can also be sliced and stored in a plastic bag or freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
I can't wait for you to try this delicious Vegan Sweet Potato Bread with Marshmallow Frosting! It makes for a super unique Thanksgiving dessert, or even a fun breakfast treat. Enjoy!
-TSG
More Fall dessert recipes you will love:
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Vegan Sweet Potato Bread
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Loaf Cake:
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato from roasted & mashed potatoes
- ¾ cup soy milk
- ½ cup sugar
- â…“ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger I use ¼ teaspoon, but feel free to add up to ½ teaspoon!
Marshmallow Frosting:
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1 Tablespoon soy milk or coconut milk
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup vegan marshmallow fluff
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Roast the sweet potatoes:
- Before making the loaf cake, you'll need to cook the sweet potato. I prefer roasting them, but you can also boil them or use cooked canned sweet potato to save time. This step can be done the day before, as the mashed sweet potato needs to be cold for the scone dough.
- To roast the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 425F. Wash and scrub your sweet potatoes, then pat and dry them with a towel.
- Add the sweet potatoes to a tray and use a fork to pierce small holes in them. This allows steam to escape while roasting and prevents it from exploding.
- Roast for 40-60 minutes or until cooked through. They are ready when a knife can be inserted without any resistance and they are soft inside.
- Let the sweet potatoes cool for about 10 minutes. Then peel off and discard the outer skin.
- Add the sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. The mashed sweet potato must be cold before using in the cake, so add to the fridge to cool completely before using.
Make the sweet potato cake batter:
- Before starting, preheat the oven to 350F and line a 1-pound loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Add the mashed sweet potato, soy milk, sugar, olive oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, and ground flaxseed to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined.
- Next, add in the dry ingredients starting with the all-purpose flour and then pouring the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and ginger on top.
- Use a spatula to mix the batter together until no dry spots of flour remain.
Add to pan & bake:
- Pour the sweet potato cake batter into the loaf pan and use a spatula to evenly spread the batter in the pan. Then, use a butter knife to run a line down the center of the batter.
- Add the loaf to the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the cooked cake from the oven and let it cool in the loaf pan for 5-10 minutes.
- Then, transfer it to a wire rack to continue cooling. Removing it from the pan ensures the cake won't get soggy on the bottom from excess moisture pooling in the pan while it cools.
Make the marshmallow fluff frosting:
- Once the cake has cooled completely, make the frosting. Start by adding the butter and powdered sugar to a bowl.
- Use a standing mixer or electric mixer to whip them together until combined and fluffy in texture (about 5 minutes).
- Once combined, add in the marshmallow fluff, soy milk, and vanilla. Continue whipping for another 2-3 minutes until the fluff is fully incorporated into the frosting.
Frost, slice, & serve!
- Add the marshmallow frosting to the cooled sweet potato cake and use an icing spatula to spread it out evenly. Top with an extra dusting of cinnamon is desired.
- Cut into 8 evenly sized slices. Serve & enjoy!
Notes
- Please see the blog post for substitution ideas & more recipe tips.
- If unfrosted, this sweet potato cake can be stored in a closed container or wrapped in tin foil/plastic wrap at room temperature for 24-48 hours.
- If frosted, the cake needs to be stored in the fridge or freezer. If storing in the fridge, it can be stored wrapped in tinfoil/plastic wrap for up to 3 days. After that time, the cake can get a bit dried out.
- The cake can also be sliced and stored in a plastic bag or freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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