This Vegan Sweet Potato Cake is packed with flavor and perfect for any celebration. Added bonus – it’s one of the easiest layer cakes you’ll ever make!
The Emotional Baker is not a Pie Maker. (& a rolling pin is her biggest enemy.)
Do you follow me on Instagram? Do you beg to differ based on: exhibit a, exhibit b, or exhibit c?
Well, these bad boys had some serious flaws.
Take exhibit c for example – Maple Pecan Pie. This was my second time making this – and I really thought I mastered it. The first time I turned the caramel sauce into candy!
That didn’t stop me from trying the recipe again though. The second time I tried to be really patient. Everything was going like it should and I really thought I had a winner. But the pie had a secret. When I sliced into it, it was a gooey, liquidy mess – although still delicious!
Sure I’ve improved over the years because I’m determined to make a perfect pie, but that day hasn’t happened, yet.
Although I still plan on making a not so perfect pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, I think this Sweet Potato Cake would be a perfect treat to change things up a bit. & believe me it is easy! This is not your traditional layer cake.
You bake this cake in a square dish and then cut it so you make a four layer rectangle cake.
It’s not the prettiest cake, but when it’s sliced no one will know you took a shortcut! I opted to leave the edges bare – like a naked cake, but you could frost the whole thing if you want.
What desserts will you have this Thanksgiving?
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup sweet potato, mashed - about 1 potato, roasted
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cashew milk, or nondairy milk of choice
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp nondairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease again.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, cashew milk, oil and vanilla extract. Fold dry ingredients into wet and mix until most lumps are eliminated.
- Spread into prepared pan.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow pan to cool on wire rack.
- Once cool, turn out of pan. Cut the square into two rectangles, right in half. Then split each half into horizontal layers so you have four thin rectangles of similar size.
- Beat margarine. Add powdered sugar, beat. Add vanilla extract, beat. Add milk one tsp at a time until frosting forms.
- Spread sliced rectangles with frosting, stacking layers as you go. When serving, slice cake vertically.
This one looks like a winner to me! You just keep show casing what you do best, and secretly keep working on that pie! I love how moist this cake looks and all the warm spices in it! Have a Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Thanks so much, Kathy!! I’ll do that 😉 Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
I am not a pie maker, either! I’ve never made my own crust before, or even my own filling. I’ll have to tackle that…someday! For now, I’ll just eats lots of this gorgeous cake! I love the pretty layers, Megan! Can you believe I’ve never had a sweet potato cake before? This looks delicious!
I think you’d love it! Thanks Gayle 🙂
Oooo give me all the sweet potato CAKE! Cake wins!
I agree! Thanks Rebecca 🙂
So I don’t think I’ve ever had a sweet potato cake, but this looks amazing! (Also, I beg to differ on your pie skills. That maple pecan pie might have had interior flaws, but the exterior looked amazing!) Anyways, this sounds like a super easy cake to make…and perfect for the season! Happy (early) Thanksgiving, Megan! 🙂
Aww – thanks so much, David! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving 🙂
I love the idea of sweet potato cake! And cake is always better than pie anyway because it has frosting! 🙂
I like the way you think! Thanks Rachelle 🙂
Perfect for Thanksgiving.I love layer cakes!
Bring on all the layer cakes! Thanks John 🙂
LOL! I’m not a pie maker either… and to be honest, I will take a layer cake over a pie ANYDAY of the week. This sweet potato layer cake looks amazing, girlfriend!! Seriously, I want this for breakfast right now! This is SO perfect for Thanksgiving!!! Cheers! <3
It would be great for breakfast 😉 Thanks Cheyanne!
Girl, you know how to make one beautiful delicious cake! I am swooning just scrolling through the pictures. Pinning because this cake IS ON!
You are too sweet, Pamela! Thank you 🙂
Girl, look at your cake. It is super moist and delicious… I didn’t try sweet potato in cakes yet and this recipe is kinda surprise package for me
Sweet potato and cake were made for each other 😉 Thanks Priya!
I just LOVE sweet potato in baked goods!! YUM.
It’s the best! Thanks Allie 🙂
What a pretty layered cake!!!! And I love the idea of cake for Thanksgiving. What a fun way to change up tradition.
Thanks so much, Annie! We’ll be having pie today, but cake sure would be a fun addition 😉
I’ve had sweet potato pie, but never sweet potato cake! It looks so moist and delicious!
You know, I’m not sure I’ve had sweet potato pie! Must fix that (maybe today 😉 ) Thanks Amanda!
I’ve never actually made a real cake before. Sweet potato is genius! I need to try this. See if I can convince a few folks to eat healthier.
Cakes are fun! You just have to be patient and take it step by step 🙂 Thanks Megan. Happy Thanksgiving!
Sweet potatoes are my favorite, but I’ve never made a sweet potato cake. This is such a perfect dessert for this Fall. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving.
Thanks Anu! Hope you do too 🙂
Pie and I are not the best of friends either so I will take a yummy cake any day! Love the sweet potato – so perfect for fall!
Cake > pie. (Although I’m still planning on sneaking a piece of pie today 😉 ) Thanks Kelly, Happy Thanksgiving!
We are also NOT having a pie at the Thanksgiving table! I made a cake! Mostly because I made pumpkin pie for the blog a few weeks ago and I need to get a cake up on there soon, so that’s how it’s going down this year, haha. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Megan!
Can’t wait to see this cake . . . Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, Lynn!
Hey, it’s taken me decades to make a decent pie, and they still flop on occasion. You’ll get there, I promise. Till then, this luscious, moist layer cake is definitely a winner and perfect for any holiday table!!! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Thanks Liz! I’m not giving up & did have pretty good success this year 🙂 Hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well!
Practice makes perfect, right? And it looks like you have perfected this amazing cake!!
Aww – thanks Eva 🙂
sounds yummy, it’s perfect for a breakfast with a cup of tea milk or coffee. Thanks for sharing that, can’t wait to try it!
Oh my goodness I want a piece of this cake so bad!! I LOVE baking with sweet potato! And as a cake?! Must try this! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!
I always have sweet potatoes on hand and this cake needs to happen this weekend!