Sweet Potato Cake (Super Moist & Easy!)

October 29, 2026

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This sweet potato cake is incredibly moist, warmly spiced and topped with a generous layer of cream cheese frosting. Made with sweet potato puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, it’s a wonderful fall dessert that’s especially fitting for Thanksgiving. It’s a great make-ahead dessert and can be made with all-purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour.

This cake is baked in a 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) pan, so there’s no stacking, filling or complicated decorating. You’ll need to cook and puree the sweet potatoes first, but you can do that ahead of time. Once the puree is ready, the batter comes together with just a whisk and a couple of mixing bowls. After the cake has cooled, simply spread the cream cheese frosting over the top.

The idea came from my Pumpkin Cake with Maple Mascarpone Frosting, but this version uses sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, makes a larger cake and has a more traditional cream cheese frosting.

Moist sweet potato cake topped with creamy frosting, served on a white plate with a fork and cinnamon sticks in the background.

Ingredients

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients and measurements. These are just a few notes on the most important ingredients.

Sweet potatoes – see below for cooking and pureeing instructions.
Flour – all-purpose or whole wheat flour both work. For gluten-free, this cake came out great with King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but I think Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour would also work well.
Light brown sugar – adds sweetness, moisture and a little caramel-like flavor that complements the sweet potatoes and spices.
Canola or vegetable oil – keeps the cake moist and tender, even after refrigeration. Use a neutral-tasting oil so it doesn’t compete with the sweet potato and spices.
Powdered sugar – the frosting uses 2 to 2 1/2 cups (240-300 grams), depending on how sweet you like it. Start with the smaller amount and taste before adding more.
Cream cheese – use 8 ounces (226 grams) of full-fat, brick-style cream cheese in the US or Canada. European tub-style cream cheese must be drained before using it in this frosting. Start with 300 grams and squeeze out the excess liquid until 226 grams remain. See the recipe card notes for more details.

Ingredients for sweet potato cake, including flour, eggs, sweet potato, spices, and cream cheese, arranged on a white background.

How to Make Sweet Potato Puree

You’ll need about 1 1/2 pounds (680–750 grams) of raw orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for this recipe. You can cook them using any of the following methods.

Instant Pot – peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1 1/2- to 2-inch (4- to 5-cm) chunks. Place them in a steamer basket above 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Cook on High Pressure for 5-6 minutes, then quick release.
Oven – prick whole, unpeeled sweet potatoes with a fork and bake at 400°F (205°C) for about 45-70 minutes, until completely tender.
Microwave – prick whole, unpeeled sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave on High for 5 minutes. Turn and continue in 1- to 2-minute increments until completely soft. Expect about 10-15 minutes total, possibly longer depending on size and microwave wattage.
Stovetop – peel and cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch (4- to 5-cm) chunks. Steam in a basket over simmering water for about 15-20 minutes, until completely tender.

Once cooked, let the sweet potatoes sit uncovered for several minutes so excess steam can escape. Remove the skins if you cooked them whole. Transfer the flesh to a food processor or a high-speed blender, and process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. An immersion blender also works.

Don’t add water, milk or cooking liquid. Weigh out 456 grams (about 1 3/4 cups) of puree and let it cool to room temperature before making the cake.

How to Make It

Make the sweet potato puree – follow the instructions above to cook and puree the sweet potatoes. Let the puree cool to room temperature before making the cake.
Prepare the pan – preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) metal baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
Combine the dry ingredients – whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients – in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cooled sweet potato puree, brown sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth and evenly combined.
Combine and bake – add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30-38 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the center springs back lightly when touched.
Cool and frost – let the cake cool completely in the pan. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat until creamy and fluffy, adding more powdered sugar if desired. Spread evenly over the cooled cake.

Step-by-step process of making sweet potato cake, from mixing ingredients to frosting the baked cake.

Tips for Success

Measure the flour carefully – for all-purpose flour, I recommend weighing out 250 grams. If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour can make the cake dry and dense.
Use a metal baking pan – I tested this cake in a 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) metal pan. Glass and ceramic pans heat differently, so the baking time and results may vary.
Don’t overmix the batter – once you add the flour mixture, stir only until you no longer see dry flour. Excessive mixing can make cakes tougher and denser.
Cool completely before frosting – even a slightly warm cake can soften the cream cheese frosting too much. Let the cake cool completely in its pan before spreading the frosting over the top.
Avoid a gummy cake – overly wet sweet potato puree, overmixing or underbaking can produce a dense or gummy texture. Make sure the center is fully baked before removing the cake from the oven.

A slice of sweet potato cake with cream cheese frosting being lifted from a baking dish, surrounded by spices.

Make Ahead & Storage

Prepare the sweet potatoes ahead – cook and puree the sweet potatoes a day or two in advance. Refrigerate the puree in an airtight container and let it return to room temperature before making the cake.
Bake the cake ahead – you can bake the cake the day before serving, let it cool completely and keep it covered until you’re ready to frost it. This makes preparing dessert for Thanksgiving or another gathering much easier.
Refrigerate leftovers – because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Before serving – for the best texture, let individual slices sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before eating.

A fork holds a bite of sweet potato cake topped with cream cheese frosting, with cake slices in the background.

More Thanksgiving Desserts

If you’re looking for more desserts to make this fall, here are some of my favorites featuring pumpkin, apples and pecans.

Cheesecake Pecan Pie Bars – a graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake layer and gooey caramel pecan pie topping all in one dessert.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie – a creamy pumpkin filling in a buttery, flaky crust. Choose between an easy, traditional version and my favorite elevated method.
Gluten-Free Apple Pie – a flaky double-crust pie filled with tender, cinnamon-spiced Granny Smith apples. It’s also easy to make vegan.
Swedish Apple Pie – an easy, crustless apple dessert with warm spices and an oat topping. It’s one of my most-requested Thanksgiving desserts.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars – a buttery shortbread crust topped with a rich maple-sweetened pecan and chocolate filling. Great for feeding a crowd.

Moist sweet potato cake topped with creamy frosting, served on a white plate.

I hope you’ll enjoy this sweet potato cake! If you try it, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks!