Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake made grain-free, refined sugar-free and dairy-free using wholesome ingredients. This moist, fluffy chocolate cake recipe is the perfect treat for the chocoholic and you’d never guess it’s entirely flourless!
Anyone up for a delicious chocolate cake that is secretly made with good-for-you ingredients?
Tell me I’m not the only one!
I modeled this grain-free sweet potato chocolate recipe off of my Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies recipe.
With a few minimal tweaks, we end up with a light and fluffy texture as opposed to the classic fudge brownie texture.
While I’m obsessed with the original brownie version, the cake version has stolen my heart as well.
Like so many things in life, which version you choose comes down to the desired mouthfeel you’re going for 😉
I’m able to control myself around the majority of sweet treats, but when it came down to this luscious rich chocolate cake, I was stripped of all my defenses.
Suffice it to say, three pieces went down the hatch immediately following photographs. So fair warning: this is one of those addictive treats!
And the best part?
This healthier one-bowl chocolate cake recipe is easy to prepare and requires no baking experience whatsoever. No stand mixer or challenging techniques involved. Simply mix up the batter, bake, and you’re in for a ride of chocolate decadence!
You can find all of the ingredients at any grocery store and you likely have many of them on hand already.
Why This Recipe Works:
The combination of sweet potato and almond butter replaces flour and oil or butter. It sounds too spectacular to be true, but when combined with regular eggs and some pure maple syrup, we’re left with a tender crumb texture that closely mimics regular chocolate cake.
This rich explosion of chocolate is loved by all who try it! When quizzed about the ingredients, no one is ever able to guess that the cake is made without flour, butter, or regular sugar.
Healthy enough to enjoy as a daily treat yet indulgent enough to serve guests, I view this sweet potato chocolate cake recipe a total win due to its deliciousness and versatility.
The sweet potato can be cooked up to 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it, so feel free to exercise this step to break the prep into segments.
Let’s discuss the ingredients in detail because they all serve an important role.
Ingredients for Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake:
Sweet Potato: The true star of the show here is nutritious sweet potato! It wears many hats as a crucial ingredient, as it adds volume, moisture, and natural sweetness to the cake.
This in turn replaces some of the sweetener and reduces the need for a liquid, like milk or oil. You can cook the sweet potato days in advance if you’d like.
Sweet potato puree is what brings this gluten-free cake to life! We need one cup of sweet potato flesh, with equates to about one medium sweet potato. Be sure to measure out the pureed sweet potato for the best results.
Unsweetened Creamy Almond Butter: Used as the fat portion of the recipe, unsweetened creamy almond butter brings all the richness so that the cake features a moist crumb and decadent flavor.
You won’t taste the almond butter flavor; however, if you use peanut butter as a substitution you will likely be able to taste the flavor because it is more noticeable.
I don’t recommend using cashew butter as a replacement for almond butter because I have yet to find a cashew butter that has a similar consistency to almond butter or peanut butter.
Eggs: Regular chicken eggs are an important ingredient in this delicious gluten-free chocolate cake recipe because they bring the light and airy texture.
I haven’t tested an egg replacer like flax eggs yet, but my suspicion is that the cake would turn out fairly dense. The best option would be to use a powdered egg replacer that contains leavening agents and emulsifiers to help bring some fluff.
For a vegan option, I would sooner point you to a different vegan chocolate cake recipe to be sure you’re getting the result you’re looking for.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener! I love using pure maple syrup as an unrefined sweetener in my baked goods.
Coconut nectar and agave syrup work as a 1:1 replacement for pure maple syrup. I don’t recommend honey unless you’ve tried it in baked goods in the past and enjoy the flavor.
If you want to replace it with a granulated sweetener like coconut sugar, cane sugar, or brown sugar, you will need to offset the loss of liquid by adding oil, milk (or non-dairy or plant-based milk), or more sweet potato.
Vanilla Extract: A splash of pure vanilla extract adds warm flavor to this delicious sweet potato cake recipe.
Cocoa Powder: The chocolate portion of the recipe. Use your favorite brand of unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder.
I use raw cacao powder because it has a creamier, less bitter flavor, which I prefer. This dark chocolate flavor is what sends our taste buds reeling.
Baking Soda and Vinegar: Baking soda is used as the leavening agent here and we add apple cider vinegar to cause the appropriate chemical reaction. Use rice vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice instead of cider vinegar if you prefer.
Ground Cinnamon and Sea Salt: While cinnamon is entirely optional, a bit of cinnamon adds a subtle nuance that I find delightful in baked goods. The sea salt enhances all of the flavors and gives the cake rich, robust flavor. Don’t skip it!
If you’d like, you can add up to 1 cup of semisweet or dark chocolate chips to the chocolate cake for a double chocolate fudgy effect.
Optional Frosting:
For the optional ganache that I use as frosting, you need chocolate chips (pick something that you know reliably melts well. I stick with semisweet chocolate chips), full-fat canned coconut milk, and a tablespoon of coconut oil or butter.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s bake this delicious healthy sweet potato chocolate cake recipe!
How to Make Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake:
Begin by cooking the potato. You can either steam, roast, boil, or microwave the sweet potato according to your favorite cooking method.
I wrap mine in a wet paper towel, stick it on a plate, and microwave it for 5 minutes per side, until the potato is very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes total microwave time.
You can also chop the sweet potato and boil it for 10 to 15 minutes, or roast it for 60 to 75 minutes wrapped in foil in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once your sweet potato is fully cooked and very soft on the inside, allow it to cool completely. This step is important, because it will make the potato easier to peel and it will ensure the potato isn’t too hot to cause the eggs to cook in the cake batter.
Remove the sweet potato skin and discard. Mash the sweet potato until it is nice and creamy and measure out one cup of mashed sweet potato.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch square baking pan or cake pan with parchment paper. If you have a spring form pan, feel free to use it, but a regular baking dish will do.
Transfer the mashed sweet potato to a large bowl along with the almond butter, eggs, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Mix the wet ingredients until a thick sticky substance forms.
Note: If your almond butter has been chilling in the refrigerator or has been kept in a cool place, microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds, or until it is soft and easy to mix.
Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and sea salt (dry ingredients) to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a thick cake batter forms. If you’d like to add chocolate chips for added chocolate goodness, you can do so now (use up to 1 cup).
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
Note: if you’d like to prepare the chocolate cake batter in a food processor or blender rather than using a mixing bowl, feel free to do so! Simply add all of the ingredients to your blender or food processor and blend until the mixture is well-combined.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 23 to 28 minutes, or until the cake tests clean.
Prepare the Ganache:
If you’re making the optional ganache topping to use as frosting, you can prepare it a few minutes before the cake has finished baking.
Add the chocolate chips, full-fat coconut milk, and coconut oil (or butter) to a mixing bowl and microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until the mixture has fully melted (about 60 seconds total).
I recommend making the ganache while the cake is still hot and spreading it on the cake while it is still warm. This is contrary to other types of frosting like buttercream frosting or regular chocolate frosting, which you will want to spread on the cake while it is room temperature or colder.
Pour the warm ganache over the cake and spread it evenly.
Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. To help the ganache set up and to cool the cake quicker, I recommend transferring it to the refrigerator to chill.
Store the chocolate cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can freeze cake in a freezer bag or zip lock bag for up to 3 months.
This healthy chocolate cake recipe is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without the need for processed ingredients.
Chocolate Frosting Options:
Make my Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache recipe as I do in this post, or you can whip up my Keto Chocolate Buttercream, which is sugar-free.
You can also use your favorite store-bought or homemade frosting recipe to spread over the cake. I have seen recipes on the internet with sweet potato frosting, which I personally find to be silly but I’m betting they are delicious nonetheless.
Even a drizzle of melted chocolate would work so nicely on this yummy cake.
There’s no need for a luscious frosting because the cake itself is so tasty. If you like cake as is without frosting on top, serve it plain!
Ask your friends and family if they can guess the ingredients! I’m willing to bet most of them will assume it is made with regular all-purpose flour, white sugar, and oil or butter.
If you’re looking for a gluten-free classic chocolate cake recipe, try The BEST Chocolate Cake.
Looking for some additional healthier cake ideas? Here are some reader favorites.
More Healthy Cake Recipes:
- Healthy Paleo Apple Cake
- Paleo Blueberry Cake
- Grain-Free Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cake
- Paleo Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cake
- Chai-Spiced Paleo Coffee Cake
- Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Whip up this chocolate delight the next time a chocolate craving strikes, or for any upcoming special event like birthdays or holidays.
Sweet potato and chocolate for life!
Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- 1 cup unsweetened almond butter
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon optional
- 1 tsp sea salt
Chocolate Ganache:
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk*
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
Bake the Cake
- Wrap the sweet potato in a wet paper towel and microwave for 5 minutes. Flip to the other side and microwave for another 5 minutes. If the sweet potato doesn’t feel very soft at this point, turn it over again and microwave for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until it is very soft. As an alternative to microwaving, you can boil or roast the sweet potato in the oven.
- Allow the sweet potato to cool completely. This step is important, because it will make the potato easier to peel and it will ensure the potato isn’t too hot to cause the eggs to cook in the cake batter.
- Remove the sweet potato skin and discard. Mash the sweet potato until it is nice and creamy and measure out one cup of mashed sweet potato.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch square baking pan or round cake pan with parchment paper. You can also spray the pan with cooking spray if you don't have parchment paper on hand.
- Transfer the mashed sweet potato to a large bowl along with the almond butter, eggs, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Mix the wet ingredients until a thick sticky substance forms. Note: If your almond butter has been chilling in the refrigerator or has been kept in a cool place, microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds, or until it is soft and easy to mix.
- Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and sea salt (dry ingredients) to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a thick cake batter forms. If you’d like to add chocolate chips for added chocolate goodness, you can do so now (use up to 1 cup).
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 23 to 28 minutes, or until the cake tests clean. I test for doneness by inserting a digital thermometer into the center of the cake. The optimal temperature is between 190 and 205 degrees F.
Make the Ganache
- If you’re making the optional ganache topping to use as frosting, you can prepare it a few minutes before the cake has finished baking.
- Add the chocolate chips, full-fat coconut milk, and coconut oil (or butter) to a mixing bowl and microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until the mixture has fully melted (about 60 seconds total). I recommend making the ganache while the cake is still in the oven or still hot and spreading it on the cake while the cake is still warm. This is contrary to other types of frosting like buttercream frosting or regular chocolate frosting, which you will want to spread on the cake while it is room temperature or colder.
- Pour the warm ganache over the cake and spread it evenly. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. To help the ganache set up and to cool the cake quicker, I recommend transferring it to the refrigerator to chill.
- Slice the cake into individual slices, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I sent this recipe to my mom to make for me for my birthday (best mom ever) and it was seriously one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had!! So moist and chocolatey. The ganache was incredible. This will be a go to recipe in our family now.
Awww I love hearing that, Steph! I’m happy you enjoyed the cake and huge kudos to your mom for being so sweet to make it for you. Happy belated birthday! xo
I made this cake for my four-year-old’s birthday cake and it was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten in my entire life! It was so moist and fudge-y and the perfect amount of sweetness! simply the best! My toddler loved it and my whole family devoured it! the chocolate ganache was an excellent touch and I’m pretty sure it would taste good without it as well. I used 1/4 cup of vegan semi sweet chocolate chips the batter, and I roasted my sweet potato, which I think it gives it a nice depth of flavor. I baked it for 29 minutes. I will definitely make this cake from now on as it is my favorite kind of cake!
I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the cake! It’s so sweet to hear it was used as a birthday cake for your kiddo – that really warms my heart! I appreciate you swinging back around to share your experience! xoxo
Hi Julia, well this recipe work on a ceramic baking pan?
Hi there! I haven’t tested it in ceramic, but I think it would work just fine! Happy baking!
The sweet potatoes made the batter a great texture. Great alternative from flour and sugar. The ganache made this dessert taste like a fudge brownie. Fresh raspberries would be great served with this dessert. This recipe will definitely be a keeper for me.
I noticed in the comments there were complaints about the bitterness of the batter. I didn’t find that to be so. I would suggest those people use Milk chocolate chips in the batter to balance it out. Otherwise, nothing needs to be altered to this recipe. It was great!
Thanks so much for sharing, Belinda! I think this is great advice for those who prefer a milk chocolate approach 🙂
I feel the same way about the texture and the ganache! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Belinda 🙂
Hi Julia, if I omitted the maple syrup, do you think it would be sweet enough? Would it mess up the recipe? Or if I were to use stevia, any suggestions on how I would amend the recipe? Thanks!
Hi Crystal! I wouldn’t recommend making the cake without sweetener, but the Stevia option would work! If I were to test it, I would use 2/3 cup of granulated stevia (or granulated sugar-free sweetener of choice) and I’d add 2/3 cup of any kind of milk you like (oat milk, almond milk, regular milk, etc). Let me know how it turns out!
I followed the recipe exactly and used cocoa powder. It was nicely soft but very bitter. I feel the amount of cocoa should be used half and it should be mentioned in the recipe to avoid a bitter cake.
Thanks for sharing this feedback. What type of cocoa powder did you use? Dutch press cocoa powder tends to be more bitter than raw cacao powder for instance. Additionally, the amount of chocolate one prefers in a cake is fairly subjective so I’m not sure everyone would agree that halving the amount of cocoa powder is objectively better.
I made this recipe with cocoa powder and the cake turned out soft but dark and bitter. I reread the whole recipe to see what I did wrong, and the author mentioned she likes cacao powder as it’s less bitter. Author (Julia) plz update your recipe advising to use cocoa powder less as it might be ruining many readers cakes. I feel half the amount will suffice, as it’s bitter and extremely dark.
What am I missing? I have read most of the article and scrolled thru it 3 times and still have not found the actual recipe. Reading the editorial on how to make substitutions was great but where is the recipe?
Hi Renee! Keep scrolling down until you see the recipe card – it’s at the bottom of the page. As an alternative, you can click the “Jump To Recipe” button at the top of the page and it’ll take you right there 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions! xo
Can you use winter squash, Butternut or maybe pumpkin in place of sweet potatoes?
Absolutely! If you use canned pumpkin puree, the texture will be slightly different because it tends to have more moisture than freshly baked pumpkin or butternut squash. However, home baked pumpkin or butternut squash should work great! xo
Amazing recipe,Julia!I made some changes,since I would like not to use sugar and try natural sweeteners.I used 1/3 cup of maple syrup,peanut butter and bittersweet chocolate chips.The cake came super delicious and I decorated it with one thin sliced strawberry.Thank you for this recipe!
All of that sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
This was so delicious and very easy to make! Will definitely revisit this again and again!
Yaay! I’m happy to hear it, Liesl! xo
OMG! I can’t rave enough about how fantastic this cake is and I don’t even like sweet potatos! You don’t taste them at all, it’s just a wonderful moist, rich delictable, yummy chocolate cake.. OMG my go to recipe from now on! I can’t wait to search your other recipes and give them a try.. seriously thanks for sharing this recipe!
Yaaay! Great success! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the cake in spite of not being a sweet potato fan – this is a huge win!! I appreciate the sweet note and you sharing your feedback. xoxo
My daughter uses flax seed in place of eggs in baking. Would flax work as an egg substitute in this chocolate cake?
Hi Sue! I haven’t tested the recipe myself with flax eggs, but based on my limited experience with them, the cake would turn out more like the consistency of a fudge brownie. I’m betting the texture and flavor would be amazing with flax eggs, but I’m doubtful that the texture will turn out like cake. If she’s okay with that, I’d say go for it! xoxox
I made it as directed and served to people who are sugar addicts. They loved it! My husband was wondering how a chocolate mint version would work out? Have you tried it? I love that the main ingredients are good for you and my dog loved the extra sweet potato mash.
Ooh, I love the idea of turning this into a mint chocolate cake! I bet you it would work great! I would try it using just under 1 tsp of mint extract and see where that lands me 🙂 Let me know if you try it!
@Julia, what kind of sweet potatoes yams or true sweet potatoes?
Hi Barbara! I use either yams or sweet potatoes to make the cake 🙂 For this round, I used yams and loved the way the cake turned out. xo
I was very skeptical about making this cake because I am such a chocolate cake snob! Needless to say, I was shocked at how delicious this cake is! I didn’t change a thing, and I did put in mini chocolate chips. I am seriously considering making this my only go-to chocolate cake from now on! Great recipe, thank you so much for sharing.
Aww I’m so happy to hear that, Karen! This is my personal favorite chocolate cake because I find it so much easier to make than regular cake plus I absolutely love how rich it turns out! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback! xo
This cake was amazing, I did use peanut butter because I Don t keep almond butter. It was fantastic.
Wahoo! Great success! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Mary! This is super helpful to others who want to try the recipe using peanut butter. xo