Topped with a decadent maple and cashew frosting, this vegan sweet potato cake recipe is rich, moist, and full of fall flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, raisins, and walnuts.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time50 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake
Ingredients
1cupsugar (I used light brown but any sugar works)
1cupmashed sweet potato puree (cold or room temp)
1tbspbutter (vegan or dairy)
1/3cupwater
1/4cupapple sauce
1 2/3cupall-purpose flour
1tspsalt
1/4tspground ginger
1tspground cinnamon
1/4tspbaking powder
2/3cupraisins
1/3cupwalnuts (crushed)
Maple Cashew Icing
1cupcashews (soaked in water for 2 hours)
2/3cupmaple syrup
1tspvanilla extract
1tbspcornstarch (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using a large mixing bowl beat the sweet potato puree, sugar, butter, water, and applesauce.
1 cup sugar (I used light brown but any sugar works), 1 cup mashed sweet potato puree (cold or room temp), 1 tbsp butter (vegan or dairy), 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup apple sauce
In a separate medium mixing bowl add the dry ingredients:flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture and mix thoroughly. Combine the crushed walnuts and raisins and mix throughout the batter.
1/3 cup walnuts (crushed), 2/3 cup raisins
Pour the cake batter into a lightly greased fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
To make the cashew maple frosting, drain the soaked cashews and add them to a food processor, blender, or stick blender container. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and blend until smooth. If the frosting is too thick you can add more maple syrup or your favorite milk of choice.
1 cup cashews (soaked in water for 2 hours), 2/3 cup maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract
*The 1 tablespoon of cornstarch is an option if you want a thicker frosting. Simply combine the cornstarch to the cashew maple frosting and place in a pan on low heat stirring often to heat but not boil or burn the frosting but to just activate the corn starch for thickening purposes as well as adding volume and consistency.
1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)
Once the cake has cooled and been removed from the pan, place frosting in a container with a pouring spout and pour over the cake top and let it run down the sides. Serve and enjoy!