This Sweet Potato Chocolate Snacking Cake is a 10/10, and it also happens to be gluten-free, refined sugar free without the chocolate chips, and made with ingredients that actually leave you feeling good. It’s light yet fudgy, deeply chocolatey, and the kind of dessert you can eat for breakfast without a second thought. One bowl, one pan, and you’d never guess sweet potato is doing most of the work.
Friends, if you’ve been around here for a while, you know I’m all about desserts that don’t make you choose between craving something sweet and actually feeling good after you eat it. This cake is exactly that. Sweet potato gives it moisture and a fudgy texture without needing a stick of butter, and the eggs and nut butter bring enough protein that a slice actually holds you over instead of leaving you hunting for something else twenty minutes later.
I’m at a point where I want my treats to do something for me, not just taste good and disappear. That’s the whole idea behind this cake. It’s rich enough to eat before it’s even cooled down, light enough that I don’t think twice about a slice with my coffee, and simple enough that it’s a one-bowl situation from start to finish.
It’s naturally gluten-free thanks to the oat flour, and if you swap the dark chocolate chips for a refined-sugar-free version (or skip them entirely), it’s refined sugar free too. Either way, this one’s earned a permanent spot in my rotation.
What You Need to Make This Sweet Potato Chocolate Snacking Cake
- Sweet Potatoes: Cooking it in the microwave is the fastest route, but however you cook it, make sure it’s very soft before mashing so the batter comes together smoothly.
- Eggs: Give this cake its structure and help it set up without any flour-heavy binders. They also add a good amount of protein to what’s otherwise a fairly light ingredient list.
- Maple Syrup: Use a real maple syrup here rather than pancake syrup, since it makes a real difference in flavor.
- Almond Butter or Cashew Butter: Either one works well and adds richness plus a little extra protein and healthy fat. If you need this nut-free, a sunflower seed butter should work as a swap, though the flavor will be a bit more savory.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the chocolate.
- Oat Flour: Oat flour keeps this recipe gluten-free and gives the cake a soft, tender crumb. If you’re baking for someone with celiac or a serious gluten sensitivity, make sure to grab a certified gluten-free oat flour.
- Unsweetened Cacao Powder: Cacao powder is where all the chocolate flavor comes from. It’s more concentrated and less processed than regular cocoa powder, so a little goes a long way here.
- Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate flavor pop.
- Baking Soda: This is what gives the cake its lift, since there’s no traditional flour here to help it rise.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: This is the one ingredient that keeps the cake from being fully refined sugar free, so if that label matters to you, look for a refined-sugar-free or stevia-sweetened chocolate chip.
How to Make This Sweet Potato Chocolate Snacking Cake
Start with the sweet potato. Wash it, pierce it all over with a knife, and wrap it in a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 6 minutes, carefully flip it, and microwave for another 6 minutes. Keep going in shorter bursts if it’s not fully soft yet. Once it’s done, cut it open and let it cool before you move on.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mash the cooled sweet potato well, then whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, nut butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add the oat flour, cacao powder, salt, and baking soda, and stir until just combined. Fold in most of the chocolate chips, saving a handful for the top.
Pour the batter into a greased quarter sheet pan or 8×8 baking dish (parchment paper makes cleanup even easier). Scatter the reserved chocolate chips over the top. If you’re using the sheet pan, bake for 28 to 30 minutes. In an 8×8 dish, give it 30 to 33 minutes. You’re looking for a toothpick that comes out mostly clean. This cake is meant to be a little underdone in the center, so pull it as soon as you see that, even if it still looks slightly soft. Let it cool, then slice or scoop straight from the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Pierce it, wrap it in foil, and roast at 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it’s very soft when pierced with a fork. It just takes longer than the microwave method.
Yes, and it’s a great one to have ready before you have people over. Bake it a day or two in advance, let it cool completely, and store it covered at room temperature or in the fridge. There’s no last-minute oven attention needed, so you can just slice and serve when you’re ready.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly before eating.
Cashew butter works just as well. If you need this nut-free, a sunflower seed butter is worth trying, though it’ll bring a slightly more savory flavor to the finished cake.
Oat flour is what keeps this recipe gluten-free, so I’d stick with it if that matters to you. If gluten isn’t a concern, a all-purpose flour would likely work in its place, though I haven’t tested that swap myself.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Mashed Sweet Potatoes, I do this in the microwave, see below!
- 3 Eggs
- ½ Cup Maple Syrup
- ¼ Cup Almond Butter, or cashew butter
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup Oat Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cacao Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ⅔ Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Start with the sweet potato. Wash it, pierce it all over with a knife, and wrap it in a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 6 minutes, carefully flip it, and microwave for another 6 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mash the cooled sweet potato well, then whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, nut butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the oat flour, cacao powder, salt, and baking soda, and stir until just combined. Fold in most of the chocolate chips, saving a handful for the top.
- Pour the batter into a greased quarter sheet pan or 8×8 baking dish (parchment paper makes cleanup even easier). Scatter the reserved chocolate chips over the top.
- Let it cool, then slice or scoop straight from the pan.
Rate & review
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