Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

Last updated - ; Published - By Rhian Williams 14 Comments

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ThisSweet Potato Chocolate Cake is seriously moist,superchocolatey and definitely doesn't taste like vegetables! It's secretly healthy, perfectly sweet, and super easy to make. It's vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (1)

MyChocolate Banana Bread recipe has been super popular, but I've had a lot of people asking me how to replace the bananas...so I decided to make a similar recipe using sweet potatoes instead of bananas.

Sweet potatoes work as an excellent alternative to bananas as they have a similarly naturally creamy texture and high natural sugar content. Plus I know from making recipes like my Sweet Potato Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Sweet Potato Ice Cream, Sweet Potato Brownies and Chocolate Pie that sweet potatoes can absolutely be used in desserts, and chocolate definitely masks the taste!

How to make this recipe

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

  • Place the cooked sweet potatoes and plant-based milk in afood processor.

Tip: Use ameasuring jugto measure out the plant-based milk.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (2)
  • Whizz until completely smooth.
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (3)
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (4)

Tip:Line the tin with greasedbaking paperto make it easier to remove the cake afterwards.

  • Scatter over morechocolate chipsto decorate, if desired.
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (5)
  • Bake in the oven for around45 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (6)

Tip:Leave the cake to cool down on acooling rackbefore putting it away to store, to make sure it doesn't get soggy!

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (7)

How long does this keep for?

It does taste best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

Substitutions you can make

  • You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
  • You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
  • You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
  • You can replace the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground walnuts.
  • For a nut-free version: replace the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground sunflower seeds and use a nut-free plant-based milk.
  • You can use plain flour,wholemeal (whole wheat) flouror spelt flourinstead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
  • You canomitthechocolate chips.
  • For a refined sugar free version, omit the chocolate chips or use refined sugar free chocolate chips or chunks.
  • You can replace the sweet potatoes with pumpkin.
  • To make a more decadent cake, don’t scatter over the chocolate chips before baking, and instead cover the cake with my Vegan Sweet Potato Chocolate Buttercream Frosting!
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (8)

More vegan chocolate treats

  • Chocolate Lava Cake
  • Chocolate Cookies
  • Chocolate Brownies
  • Chocolate Cake
  • Chocolate Donuts

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog,I’d really love to hear anyfeedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes onInstagram! Thank you.

Watch how to make it

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (9)

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

ThisSweet Potato Chocolate Cake is seriously moist,superchocolatey and definitely doesn't taste like vegetables! It's also vegan and gluten-free.

3.91 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 309kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

  • 250 g (8.8 oz) raw sweet potatoes (about 1 medium-sized sweet potato)
  • 175 ml (¾ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
  • 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
  • 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • Pinch salt
  • 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
  • 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
  • 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 50 g ( cup) dark chocolate chips ** (optional - ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)

To decorate (optional):

  • Dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

  • Cook sweet potatoes by boiling, steaming or roasting them until very soft and tender.

  • Discard any skins, and add to a food processor with the milk.

  • Whizz until completely smooth - you might have to mix it around a few times.

  • Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).

  • Once melted, add the blended sweet potato mixture to the same bowl along with the maple syrup, vinegar, salt and ground almonds.

  • Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

  • If using, add the chocolate chips and stir in carefully.

  • Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (use a one-pound loaf tin).

  • Scatter over more chocolate chips to decorate, if desired.

  • Bake in oven for around 45 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

  • Once out the oven, transfer onto a wire rack to leave to cool completely before slicing.

  • Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

Notes

*You can alternatively use almond flour.

**For a refined sugar free version, omit the chocolate chips or use refined sugar free chocolate chips or chunks.

To make a more decadent cake, don’t scatter over the chocolate chips before baking, and instead cover the cake with my Vegan Sweet Potato Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 309Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 8g40%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 74mg3%

Potassium 408mg12%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 6g24%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 3547IU71%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 186mg19%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

More Baking & Dessert Recipes

  • Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Madeleines
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Muffins
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Cake
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Naomi

    I'm just curious, the recipe calls for almond 'meal' as opposed to flour - but the link leads to almond flour. I have both, which should I use? Love your recipes. Looking forward to making this one, too.

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      You can use either!

  2. Bridget

    Hi Rhian,
    I am going to try this for my sons 3rd Birthday party and am going to do a test run ahead of time for his actual birthday rather than the party. I am wondering if I can make it on Sunday for Thursday night, and if I should freeze it?
    I'll make it again nice and fresh for the party.
    It was actually recommended to me by a friend who made it and loved it so I am excited to try.
    Thanks, Bridget

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      Thank you so much! You can make it on Sunday for Thursday night and freeze it as soon as it's cool then defrost before eating. I hope you'll like it, please let me know if you have any more questions!

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Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is gluten-free cake chewy? ›

With gluten-free baking, we use a combination of gluten-free flours, starches, and a binder (like xanthan gum). These ingredients take longer to set than regular gluten-containing flour, meaning they may remain slightly “gummy” or sticky until they have cooled.

Is sweet potato gluten-free? ›

Yes, sweet potatoes are also naturally gluten-free. However, as with regular potatoes, when cooking them, you need to ensure that there are no gluten-containing ingredients. Or, if you are craving gluten-free snacks like sweet potato chips, remember to read the label in case they have any additives with gluten.

How do you keep gluten free cake from falling apart? ›

Xanthan gum (along with other thickeners like guar gum and arrowroot) acts like a binder in gluten-free baked goods to maintain their structure. Without it, there's a good chance that your brownies or muffin will crumble and fall apart.

Why do gluten free cakes take longer to bake? ›

Gluten-free baked goods often take longer to bake than their wheat-based cousins. This is because they have more moisture. Gluten-free flours are typically thirstier and need more hydration.

Are bananas gluten-free? ›

Bananas (in their natural form) are 100% gluten-free. If you experience issues with eating bananas it may be because of a couple of proteins present in bananas – Marlow over at glutenhatesme.com has an excellent and detailed post on this issue so please head on over to her blog to read more.

Is popcorn gluten-free? ›

Popcorn is naturally gluten-free and suitable for most people with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. Still, some individuals who react to gluten may also be sensitive to certain proteins in corn. What's more, some commercial products may be cross-contaminated with gluten or include glutenous ingredients.

Does olive oil have gluten? ›

The short answer is yes, olive oil is gluten-free. Extra virgin olive oil is made from the juice of olive fruits, which contain no gluten. As a result, olive oil itself is gluten-free and thus suitable for all gluten-free diets. In fact, most cooking oils are naturally gluten-free.

Why did my gluten free cake turn out gummy? ›

Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, it's very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or you'll wind up with a gummy texture.

How to make gluten free cake less gummy? ›

Texture Troubleshooting
  1. Mushy or gummy: Lower the temperature and increase the cooking time.
  2. Crumbly: Increase the binder, like xanthan gum or psyllium husk.
  3. Gritty or thin: Rest the batter 30 minutes before baking.
  4. Dense: Increase the leavener, like baking powder.
  5. Dry: Add more liquid.

Why did my cake turn out chewy? ›

Overmixing

Overworking the batter, especially if it contains gluten, will result in a tough, chewy cake. You'll often see the instructions, “mix until just combined,” in cake recipes. This means to stop mixing as soon as you see that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Does gluten free cake have a different texture? ›

Texture Differences

Gluten-Free cakes do not have the same texture as regular and vegan cakes; this is due to the different flour they use in these cakes. Usually, gluten-free cakes struggle with having the right texture, but the innovation of many bakers has solved this problem.

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