Cakes
Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A soft, moist sweet potato cake made with warm spices, brown sugar, sour cream, and finished with a creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Giulia’s Recipe Rundown
Taste
Warm, cozy, lightly spiced, and sweet with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and creamy vanilla frosting.
Texture
Soft, moist cake crumb with a smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting on top.
Ease
A simple homemade cake made with mashed sweet potatoes and easy pantry ingredients.
Best For
Fall baking, Thanksgiving dessert tables, cozy weekend treats, brunch, and holiday gatherings.
This Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is soft, cozy, and full of warm spice flavor. It has the comforting sweetness of mashed sweet potatoes, the richness of brown sugar, and the tender texture you want in a homemade cake.
The cake batter comes together with simple ingredients like eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of ground ginger. The mashed sweet potatoes keep the crumb moist while adding a beautiful natural sweetness.
To finish, the cake is topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting made with butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste. It is simple, creamy, and just tangy enough to balance the sweetness of the cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and moist sweet potato cake
- Made with real mashed sweet potatoes
- Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
- Finished with creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting
- Perfect for fall and holiday baking
- Simple enough for beginners but pretty enough for a dessert table
Important Ingredient Notes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mashed sweet potatoes give this cake moisture, natural sweetness, and a soft crumb. Use plain cooked sweet potatoes with no added butter, sugar, or seasoning.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes and warm spices.
Granulated Sugar
A little granulated sugar helps balance the brown sugar and gives the cake a classic sweet flavor.
Sour Cream
Sour cream keeps the cake tender and moist. It also adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the cake.
Vegetable Oil
Oil helps the cake stay soft even after chilling. It gives the crumb a moist texture without making the cake heavy.
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger
These warm spices make the cake cozy and aromatic. Cinnamon gives warmth, nutmeg adds depth, and ginger brings a gentle spice note.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese creates a smooth, tangy frosting that pairs perfectly with the sweet potato cake. Make sure it is softened before mixing.
Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla bean paste gives the frosting a rich vanilla flavor and pretty little vanilla specks. Vanilla extract works well too.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cake
Prepare the pan
Preheat the oven and grease your baking pan. Line it with parchment paper if you want easier removal and cleaner slices.
Mix the wet ingredients
Whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, and mashed sweet potatoes until smooth.
Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger.
Make the batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing so the cake stays soft.
Bake and cool
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting
Beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth, then add salt, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste. Spread over the cooled cake.
Sweet Baking Science
Why use mashed sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes add moisture, natural sweetness, and softness to the cake. They also help create a tender crumb without needing too much butter.
Why use both sour cream and oil?
Sour cream adds tenderness and a subtle tang, while oil keeps the cake moist for days. Together, they make the cake soft and rich without feeling dense.
Why avoid overmixing?
Once flour is added, mixing too much can develop gluten and make the cake tough. Mix only until the dry ingredients disappear.
Why cool the cake before frosting?
Warm cake can melt cream cheese frosting and make it slide off. Let the cake cool completely so the frosting stays thick and smooth.
Storage
Store Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For the best texture, let slices sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Freezing Instructions
This cake freezes best before adding the cream cheese frosting.
- Bake the cake and let it cool completely.
- Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap.
- Place it in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Add the cream cheese frosting after thawing.
Frosted slices can also be frozen, but the frosting may soften slightly after thawing.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Can I use canned sweet potato puree?
Yes. Make sure it is plain sweet potato puree, not sweet potato pie filling. Pie filling usually contains extra sugar and spices.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes. Full-fat Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream for a similar tangy flavor and moist texture.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes. You can bake the cake one day ahead, cover it, and frost it before serving. The flavor gets even better after resting.
Why is my cake dense?
The batter may have been overmixed, or the sweet potatoes may have been too wet. Mix gently and use smooth, thick mashed sweet potatoes.
Can I add nuts?
Yes. Chopped pecans or walnuts would be delicious folded into the batter or sprinkled over the frosting.
Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A soft and moist sweet potato cake made with warm spices, brown sugar, sour cream, and creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the sweet potato cake
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
For the cream cheese frosting
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper if desired.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and mashed sweet potatoes until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Mix gently until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the salt, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
- Beat until fluffy and smooth.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
- Slice and serve, or chill briefly for cleaner cuts.
Notes
For the smoothest cake texture, mash the sweet potatoes very well before adding them to the batter. If the mash is stringy, press it through a fine mesh sieve or blend briefly until smooth.
