Ingredients
Cake
- 250 g sweet potato puree (weighed after cooking)
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 180 ml non-dairy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 170 g coconut sugar
- 80 ml olive oil
- 45 ml espresso
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 200 g sweet potato puree (weighed after cooking)
- 200 g dark chocolate (melted)
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep sweet potato: Roast around 700g of raw sweet potatoes on a lined baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 40-45 minutes until very soft. Let cool to room temperature then puree or mash. You’ll need 450g of cooked sweet potato puree in total.
- Preparation: Line a 7.5 or 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 170°C fan-forced (340°F) or 180°C conventional (356°F).
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt into a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 250g of the sweet potato puree with non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, olive oil, espresso, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Make the batter: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined. Then fold in the remaining dry ingredients gently with a rubber spatula to maintain airiness.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick in the center; it should come out almost clean with a few moist crumbs. Bake an additional 5 minutes if needed.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the springform pan. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frosting: Combine 200g sweet potato puree, melted dark chocolate, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blend until smooth, then frost the cooled cake generously.
Notes
- When roasting sweet potatoes, pierce the skin to allow steam to escape and improve softness.
- Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor and darker color.
- Non-dairy milk options such as almond, oat, or soy milk work well.
- Coconut sugar lends natural sweetness and slight caramel notes.
- The espresso enhances the chocolate flavor depth but can be omitted or replaced with strong coffee for a milder taste.
- For the best texture, make sure to cool the cake completely before applying frosting.
- The vegan Greek-style yogurt adds creaminess and tang to balance the sweetness in the frosting.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
