Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
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When pumpkin cake has you hooked, let me introduce you to Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s a little softer, a little sweeter, and every bit as comforting. Making it is refreshingly simple. You’ll whisk your dry ingredients, cream butter with two kinds of sugar, then blend in eggs, vanilla, and the mashed sweet potatoes. The buttermilk ties everything together for a tender crumb, while spices fill the air as the cake bakes. Once cooled, the fun part begins: slathering on maple cream cheese frosting that’s silky with just enough tang to balance the sweetness. It’s a cake that feels fancy enough for celebrations yet relaxed enough for a casual weekend bake. With a bit of planning, it’s ready in under two hours and feeds a crowd.
Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- Super moist texture: Sweet potatoes keep the crumb soft, tender, and never dry.
- Warm spiced flavor: Cinnamon, ginger, and allspice make each bite taste like fall.
- Maple cream cheese frosting: Sweet, tangy, and perfectly balanced with the cake.
- Flexible serving options: Bake it as a layer cake, a sheet cake, or even cupcakes.
- Make-ahead friendly: The cake layers and frosting can be prepped a day in advance.
Ingredients Needed To Make Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Make sure you scroll down to the recipe card to see the full list of ingredients needed for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground allspice
- Ground ginger
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Cooked, mashed sweet potato
- Buttermilk
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
Oven Temperatures
Oven temperatures can vary significantly from one oven to another. To achieve consistent results, it’s crucial to know the exact temperature inside your oven. The safest and most accurate way to determine this is by using an oven thermometer. This simple tool can help you avoid underbaking or overbaking your treats.
How To Make Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prepare the pans and preheat the oven.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and mashed sweet potatoes.
- Add the dry mixture and buttermilk in turns until combined.
- Pour the batter into pans and bake until set.
- Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting by beating cream cheese with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
- Frost and assemble the cake as layers or keep it simple in one pan.
- Chill briefly before slicing and serving.
Variations, Tips, and Substitutions
- Dairy-Free: Substitute dairy-free butter, cream cheese, and buttermilk alternative (such as oat milk with 1 tsp vinegar).
- Sweetener Adjustments: Use coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar for a richer flavor.
- Frosting Twist: Swap maple syrup with honey or brown sugar syrup.
- Mix-ins: Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins into the batter.
- Spice Boost: Add nutmeg or cardamom for a more spiced cake.
- Single-Layer Cake: Bake in a 9×13 pan and frost only the top for a casual serving.
- Cupcakes: Bake for 18–22 minutes in a lined muffin tin.
Commonly Asked Questions
How should I store leftovers?
Keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake the cake layers a day or two in advance and store them tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Frosting can also be made ahead and stored in an airtight container. Assemble just before serving for the freshest taste.
Can I use canned sweet potatoes instead of fresh?
Absolutely. Just drain and mash them well before adding to the batter. They’ll save you some prep time and work just as nicely.
What kind of maple syrup works best?
Pure maple syrup gives the best flavor. Grade A dark or amber syrups bring a richer, deeper taste to the frosting.
Can I make this cake without a stand mixer?
Yes! A hand mixer works perfectly. If you don’t have one, you can mix by hand with a sturdy whisk and spatula, though it will take a little more effort.
Can I make this cake gluten-free?
Yes! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, and it should work perfectly. Make sure the blend contains xanthan gum or another binder to help the cake hold together.
Can I make this cake dairy-free?
You can try substituting butter with a plant-based butter and cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese. The texture may be slightly different, but it will still be delicious.
Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- (3) 6-inch pans, (2) 8-inch pans, or (1) 9×13-inch pan.
- Double boiler
- Mixer
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger (dried)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups cooked, mashed, and cooled sweet potato
- 1 cup buttermilk
Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 ½-3 ½ cups powdered sugar (plus up to 1 more cup if needed to thicken)
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour cake pans (or line with parchment).
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Stir in mashed sweet potatoes.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cakes rest in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and maple syrup. Adjust consistency with more sugar if needed.
- Assemble cake: Frost between layers (cut into 2 or 4). Finish with top and sides. Chill 20 minutes to help set frosting before slicing.
Notes
Variations & Swaps
- Dairy-Free: Substitute dairy-free butter, cream cheese, and buttermilk alternative (such as oat milk with 1 tsp vinegar).
- Sweetener Adjustments: Use coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar for a richer flavor.
- Frosting Twist: Swap maple syrup with honey or brown sugar syrup.
- Mix-ins: Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins into the batter.
- Spice Boost: Add nutmeg or cardamom for a more spiced cake.
- Single-Layer Cake: Bake in a 9×13 pan and frost only the top for a casual serving.
- Cupcakes: Bake for 18–22 minutes in a lined muffin tin.
This sweet potato cake with maple cream cheese frosting feels like a celebration on a plate. It’s rich, spiced, and frosted with just the right balance of sweet and tangy. I love that it works for everything from Sunday family dinner to a big holiday spread. Once you bake it, don’t be surprised if it quickly becomes one of your most-requested desserts.
I made this cake for our 20th anniversary, and my family loved it! The cake was moist and tastes very good, and we enjoyed the maple flavor in the frosting.
My only critique would be making a cream cheese frosting that uses maple extract, and butter. The frosting in this recipe ended up too thin, and if I added more powder sugar it would have been too sweet.
My modifications:
-canned pumpkin instead of sweet potato
-doubled the spices (allspice, ginger, cinnamon)
-added nutmeg
-ground pecans in center layer