Gluten Free Sweet Potato Cake (Paleo)

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This gluten free sweet potato cake is a wholesome, delicious treat that combines nutritious ingredients with irresistible flavor. It's made with pureed sweet potato and almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar. This cake is not only gluten free, but dairy free, paleo and refined sugar free.

It's official, sweet potato is one of my favorite baking ingredients! It provides a moist, tender texture to baked goods, as well as a natural sweetness. And you can't beat the golden hue it gives, along with a boost in fiber and nutrients.

I've been using sweet potato in my paleo breads, muffins, pancakes and salads. And of course I had to add a sweet potato cake to my recipe collection.

This gluten free sweet potato cake is made with almond flour, lightly sweetened with coconut sugar and topped with a simple homemade frosting. It's great for any celebration, special occasion or just because.

Why You'll Love this Sweet Potato Cake

gluten free and paleo friendly - made with simple, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about eating
dairy free - both the cake and the frosting are dairy free
easy to make - the cake batter is made in a bowl, baked in a square baking dish, cooled and then frosted
nutrient dense – sweet potatoes provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
lower in sugar - contains less sugar than your average cake

Ingredients

The full recipe for this healthy sweet potato cake can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of what you'll need:

blanched almond flour - since this cake is gluten free and paleo friendly, it's made with almond flour. You should be able to swap the almond flour for tigernut flour if you need a nut free version.
tapioca starch - added for texture purposes. The best swap is arrowroot starch.
coconut sugar - to keep this sweet potato cake refined sugar free it's sweetened with coconut sugar.
baking powder - I make my own paleo baking powder, but you can use store bought as well.
salt - to enhance the flavors
spices - cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg are added for a warm, earthy flavor. You can omit them, just use cinnamon or swap them with other spices.
large eggs - no egg substitute has been tested.
pureed sweet potato - I steamed my sweet potato until tender, removed the skin and then pureed it in a food processor.
oil - I recommend avocado oil, but you can also use a light olive oil.
milk - I used almond milk, but any type of milk will work.
vanilla extract - for flavor

How to Make Sweet Potato Cake

The batter for this sweet potato cake is made in a bowl, baked in a square baking dish and then topped with a homemade vanilla frosting. Here are the steps:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8" x 8" baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the dry cake ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter into your lined baking dish.

Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

After baking, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature in the baking dish.
To make the frosting, place all frosting ingredients in a large bowl and mix with an electric whisk.
Once the cake has fully cooled, frost the cake and decorate to your liking.

Tips and Tricks

Puree your own sweet potatoes - I don't recommend buying canned sweet potato puree, but instead making your own. To do that, wash and chop the sweet potato into cubes. Place them in a steamer pot and steam until tender (you can easily pierce them with a fork). Remove the skin, then blend the sweet potatoes in a food processor or blender until creamy.
Mix up the frosting - While I chose to make my own paleo frosting, feel free to top your cake with a store-bought version, make your own cream cheese frosting, top with yogurt, or simply drizzle with honey and cinnamon.

Storage

This sweet potato cake is best stored in the fridge. You can keep it in the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap or bees wax wrap, or transfer it to another sealed container. The cake is best eaten within one week.

FAQ

Can I used canned sweet potato?

I recommend pureeing your own sweet potato for this recipe. Canned sweet potato has a different texture and honestly, fresh is better!

Can this recipe be made egg free?

I have not tested this sweet potato cake without eggs. If you do, let me know the results in the comment section below.

What's the best way to prepare sweet potatoes for this cake?

First, wash the sweet potato, then cut it into cubes. Place the cubes in a steamer pot and steam until tender (you can easily pierce them with a fork). Remove the skin, then blend the sweet potatoes in a food processor or blender until creamy.

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