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Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Healthy sweet potato chocolate cake is a tender, cocoa-rich bake sweetened with pure maple syrup and made moist with mashed sweet potato. Bake it in a 9-inch square pan until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cooling time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 270
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sweet potato medium (about 8 ounces)
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.67 cup pure maple syrup
  • 0.33 cup canola oil
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch square baking pan

Method
 

  1. Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork.
  2. Microwave on HIGH for 5 to 9 minutes, turning it halfway through, until very tender.
  3. Cool and peel the sweet potato.
  4. Mash until smooth, then measure 1 cup.
  5. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  6. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  8. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup mashed sweet potato, the eggs, maple syrup, canola oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
  9. Add the flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
  10. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  11. Bake for 30 to 36 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  12. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes.
  13. Transfer it to a wire rack and cool completely.

Notes

For the best texture, measure 1 cup of the mashed sweet potato after cooking and mashing. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freezer-friendly. A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend may work as a swap, though the texture can vary.