This rich chocolate cake with potato is gluten free and dairy free. Your fork will cut right through this crumby cake like butter and everyone will be amazed that it has sweet potato as the base.
It's got a thick and creamy peanut butter frosting, but I'm also sharing a paleo-approved (no peanut) version of the frosting too! And if you love paleo-friendly desserts, try these paleo brownies and coconut flour chocolate chip cookies next.
It's not always easy to find a quality chocolate cake recipe that's also healthy and easy to make, but we've done it! This ultra rich chocolate potato cake has the best texture and the peanut butter frosting is unbelievable. It makes a great birthday cake, especially kid's birthdays!
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes: we like the sweet taste and creamy texture sweet potatoes gives this recipe, but you could use regular mashed potatoes.
- Eggs: room temperature is best.
- Coconut oil: this is a great dairy-free option, but unsalted butter or vegan butter are great options.
- Sweeteners: Maple syrup and coconut sugar.
- Coconut flour: this type of flour absorbs a lot of moisture, which is why we don't need very much. You cannot swap this ingredient equally for any other type of flour.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: for all that rick chocolate flavor!
- Pure vanilla extract, baking powder and salt
Looking for more chocolate desserts? Try paleo chocolate cake or this easy chocolate chip mug cake.
How to Make Chocolate Potato Cake
Here are the step by step photos to make chocolate potato cake. Skip down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Prep potatoes: Peel and cube thee sweet potatoes (for the cake and the frosting). Add them to a large saucepan and cover with water one Bring them to a boil over high heat then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 5 minutes.
- Cake batter: Add the potato mixture and the rest of the cake ingredients to the food processor or large bowl with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat or blend the batter (on low speed first) until it's smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.
- Bake: Pour batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth it out to the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula. Bake cake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges of the cake are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. You can place the cakes in the fridge or freezer to speed up the process.
- Frosting: add the reserved 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes with the rest of the frosting ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Blend on high until really smooth and creamy. Spoon the frosting on top of the cake and spread evenly to the edges.
Expert Tips
- Do your best to get as much moisture out of the mashed sweet potatoes as possible using a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
- You can use canned sweet potato to save a step but you’ll need to add another couple tablespoons of coconut flour as the canned option has more moisture.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- You can swap out two 6-inch round cake pans and make a mini layer cake.
You can use mashed potatoes rather than mashed sweet potatoes. Make sure they're cold and they don't contain any butter or milk.
Instead of peanut butter in the frosting recipe, use half a ripe avocado. You won't be able to taste anything but the rich chocolate flavor!
Although the base of the recipe and frosting calls for sweet potato, you can't actually taste it because it's mild in comparison to the bold flavors of the chocolate and peanut butter.
You can pour the batter into two 6-inch round cake pans and bake for 25-30 ish minutes. Frost in between the layers and all around the cake!
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Make-ahead: boil and mash the sweet potatoes up to one week before making it to remove that step. Alternatively, bake the cake and store, unfrosted, in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze-ahead: Make the cake all the way through then allow to cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 4 months until ready to frost.
- Storage: store the cooled and frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below if you make this recipe. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Chocolate Desserts
- The best paleo chocolate layer cake
- Paleo chocolate salted cookie bars
- Chocolate paleo pecan pie
- Paleo chocolate caramel tart
- Easy paleo brownies
- Keto cake
Chocolate Potato Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup coconut oil or vegan butter room temperature
- ½ pure maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 1 ½ cups mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium sweet potato)
- ½ cup natural peanut butter sub ½ an avocado for paleo version
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Recommended Equipment
- Square Baking Pan
- Food Processor or Electric Mixer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
- Place the peeled and cubed sweet potato for the cake and the frosting (3 medium-large sweet potatoes total) in a large saucepan and cover with water one inch above the potatoes. Cook over medium high heat until boiling then turn to medium-low and simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and allow to cool. Pat the cooled sweet potatoes with paper towels to remove some of the moisture then gently mash with the back of a fork. Place 2 cups of the mashed sweet potatoes in the bowl of the food processor and reserve the other 2 cups for the frosting.
- Add the rest of the cake ingredients to the food processor with the sweet potatoes until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Pour the batter evenly in the prepared cake pan and smooth out to the edges using a rubber spatula. Bake on the same rack in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. You can place the cakes in the fridge or freezer to speed up the process.
- To make the frosting, add the reserved 2 cups of mashed sweet potato with the rest of the frosting ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Blend on high until really smooth and creamy.
- To top the cake, place one layer on a piece of parchment paper or plate and place a large amount of frosting on top. Smooth out to the edges in an even layer then place the other piece of cake directly on top. Scoop the rest of the frosting on top and spread to the edges and down the sides of the cake. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
bakejn2 says
What about the FAT grams if you substitute avacado for the peanut butter??
The Swt potatoe chocolate cake.
Thanks
Melanie says
Hi, I just put this cake in the oven and can't wait to bring it to my gluten/dairy free friend. Just some comments on the recipe I printed out here. It says 1/2 maple syrup. I just went ahead and corrected it to say 1/2 cup. Hope I'm right! Also, in the print out instructions there was some indication of two cake pans going into the oven. Unless you read all the details in the long description of how to make the cake, (I didn't) you wouldn't know that there's instructions to make it in 2 cake pans if you want.
Lastly, in the ingredients it calls for 1 1/2 C of sweet potato for the frosting. But in the instructions it says to reserve 2 cups for the frosting. Hope I have enough.
I hope these notes are helpful and not to be taken as too critical. I'm sure this cake will be yummy!