Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pecan Streusel

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.

How To Make Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pecan Streusel

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the springform pan with nonstick spray and parchment.
2. In a mixer, beat shortening and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs, sweet potato, sour cream, molasses, and vanilla.
3. Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine with the wet mixture.
4. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
5. Stir flour, cinnamon, sugar, and pecans for the streusel, then cut in shortening until crumbly.
6. Layer half the cake batter, cream cheese filling, some streusel, remaining batter, and sprinkle with more streusel topping.
7. Bake until set, then cool completely on a wire rack.
8. 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.

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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

This Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is layered with cream cheese, topped with pecan streusel, and finished with a molasses glaze. Crisco makes it fluffy and irresistible.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cooling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch sides
• Parchment paper
• nonstick baking spray
• Large mixing bowls (3)
• Medium mixing bowl (1)
• Hand or stand mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Fork (for streusel)
• Measuring cups/spoons
• cooling rack
• Small whisk (for glaze)

Ingredients

  

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Cake Batter

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Clabber Girl baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup mashed sweet potato puréed
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 8 tbsp 1 stick Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1 tbsp Grandma’s Original Molasses
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Layer

• 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 1½ cups powdered sugar

Streusel Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup pecans chopped
• 8 tbsp 1 stick Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening

Glaze

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp Grandma’s Original Molasses
• 2 tbsp milk

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Instructions

 

Prepare Pan & Oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Spray a 9” springform pan with nonstick spray and line bottom with parchment paper.

Make the Cake Batter

• In a large bowl, beat shortening + 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 Cream Cheese Layer

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese + powdered sugar until smooth.

Make Streusel Topping

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans.
• Cut in shortening with a fork until mixture is crumbly.

Assemble 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

• 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.

Glaze

• In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, molasses, and milk until smooth.
• Drizzle over cooled cake before serving.

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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.