Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pecan Streusel
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Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is a holiday bake that makes everyone stop mid-conversation and reach for another slice. This cozy cake layers tender spiced sweet potato batter with a sweet cream cheese center and a crunchy pecan streusel, all topped off with a molasses glaze. It’s soft, fluffy, and full of warm flavors that feel right at home on a holiday table or weekend brunch spread.
Make it memorable. Make it with Crisco. Recipes made with high-quality ingredients from Crisco will impress and delight this holiday season. Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening ensures the cake turns out light and moist, the frosting layer smooth, and the streusel perfectly crumbly. Make it fluffy. Make it flaky. Make it with Crisco!
Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pecan Streusel
- Fluffy texture in every bite: Crisco shortening helps create a soft, tender crumb.
- Layers of flavor: Sweet potato cake, cream cheese filling, crunchy streusel, and a molasses glaze all in one dessert.
- Holiday ready: Perfect centerpiece for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any winter gathering.
- Simple ingredients, big payoff: No fancy tricks, just pantry staples and a few easy steps.
- Make-ahead friendly: Bake it a day in advance, and it tastes even better after the flavors mingle.
Ingredients Needed To Make Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pecan Streusel
Make sure you scroll down to the recipe card to see the full list of ingredients needed for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour
- Clabber Girl baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Sweet potato purée
- Sour cream
- Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
- Grandma’s Original Molasses
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Brown sugar
- Pecans
- Milk
Variations, Tips, and Substitutions
- Swap the nuts: Use walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds instead of pecans for the streusel.
- Extra spice kick: Add nutmeg or ginger to the cake batter for more holiday warmth.
- Pumpkin variation: Substitute pumpkin purée for sweet potato for a different seasonal twist.
- Make it mini: Bake in muffin tins for individual coffee cakes.
- Storage tip: Keep covered at room temperature for a day or refrigerate up to 4 days.
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 Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pecan Streusel
- Preheat the oven and prepare the springform pan with nonstick spray and parchment.
- In a mixer, beat shortening and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs, sweet potato, sour cream, molasses, and vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine with the wet mixture.
- Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Stir flour, cinnamon, sugar, and pecans for the streusel, then cut in shortening until crumbly.
- Layer half the cake batter, cream cheese filling, some streusel, remaining batter, and sprinkle with more streusel topping.
- Bake until set, then cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whisk powdered sugar, molasses, and milk into a glaze and drizzle over the cooled cake.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I make this coffee cake ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cake a day in advance. Store it tightly covered at room temperature, then add the glaze right before serving for the freshest look.
How should I store leftovers?
Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature or warm slightly before serving.
Can I freeze this coffee cake?
Absolutely. Wrap cooled, unglazed slices in plastic wrap and then foil, or place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then glaze before serving.
Do I need a springform pan?
A springform pan makes removing the cake neat and easy, but you can also use a regular 9-inch round cake pan lined with parchment. Just be gentle when removing slices.
Can I use canned sweet potato?
Yes! Canned sweet potato purée works perfectly. Just make sure it’s plain and not sweetened or spiced.
What if I don’t have molasses?
You can substitute maple syrup or honey in the glaze, though it won’t have quite the same depth of flavor.
How do I know when the cake is done?
Check with a toothpick in the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Sweet Potato Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch sides
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Small whisk (for glaze)
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato (puréed)
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Grandma’s Original Molasses
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Clabber Girl baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans (chopped)
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
For the Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon Grandma’s Original Molasses
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Mix the Cake and Layers:
- In a large bowl, beat shortening and granulated sugar with a mixer on high speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.
- Add eggs, sweet potato, sour cream, molasses, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
- Make the Cream Cheese Layer: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Make the Streusel Topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans. Cut in shortening with a fork until the mixture is crumbly.
Assemble the Cake:
- Spread half the batter in the prepared pan.
- Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over batter.
- Sprinkle with half the streusel.
- Add the remaining batter, then top with the rest of the streusel.
Bake and Glaze:
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, molasses, and milk until smooth.
- Drizzle over cooled cake before serving.
Notes
- Store leftover cake at room temp for up to a day, or in the fridge for 4 days.
- The unglazed cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and glaze before serving.
Nutrition
This Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is everything I want in a holiday bake: layers, crunch, and a drizzle of sweet glaze to tie it all together. With Crisco shortening in the mix, the texture turns out just right every time. It’s the kind of recipe I’ll be making again and again when I need something festive that really delivers.
I have avocado shortening- would that work?
We think so!
Can you substitute butter or avocado oil for shortening?
while Danielle has not, we think so!
Would Almond flour work? I’m gluten free.
We would recommend a 1.1 GF flour or oat flour