Sweet Potato Chai Cake

Pumpkin who? Who needs pumpkin when sweet potato is queen especially when its my Sweet Potato Chai Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Hey there!  My name is Stefani Renee and I’m the creator of Savor and Sage. I inherited a love of cooking, throwing parties, telling stories, and creating a beautiful lifestyle from my Granny Octavia; Savor and Sage is a celebration of all of those things. My mission is to share soulful inspiration that makes every day more delicious and beautiful and I love to share how soul/southern cooking goes far beyond what’s typically portrayed in pop culture. My tribe hails from the South but I’m a Cali girl so my style of cooking is a heavy dose of southern charm and flavor with some California love.

I know pumpkin gets all the hype around this time of year but where I’m from the sweet potato is running the show. This Sweet Potato Chai Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting will not disappoint Cake is one of the stars so when Natasha invited me to participate in her Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves I had to share this sweet treat.

I love a good cake from scratch but sometimes it can be a little intimidating. I know I get it but let me tell you, this is such an easy cake to make and it’s what’s called a “snacking” cake because it’s one layer and is extremely easy to bake.

This Sweet Potato Chai Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect snackin’ cake. One layer of chai spiced cake is perfectly moist and sweet and topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting that’s been kissed with maple syrup. Doesn’t that sound good? Now go get that coffee brewing, tea steeping, or glass of milk so it will be waiting for when this cake is done. 

It  keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. If you want to freeze some, no problem, just don’t put the frosting on.  Slice the cake up, double wrap them, and store them in the freezer for up  to three months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw them in the fridge over night or pop one in the toaster oven to warm it up. 

Are you ready to get your bake? Let’s Go! 

Yield: 8-10 servings

Sweet Potato Chai Cake

Print

This Sweet Potato Chai Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect snackin’ cake. One layer of chai spiced cake is perfectly moist and sweet and topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting that’s been kissed with maple syrup. Doesn’t that sound good? Now go get that coffee brewing, tea steeping, or glass of milk so it will be waiting for when this cake is done.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (about 1 1/2 cups), cooked and mashed
• 2 cups of flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of cloves
• 1 cup of butter (2 sticks), room temperature
• 1 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature, and slightly beaten
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla
• ½ cup of buttermilk

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup of salted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat an 8x8 square pan with baking spray or butter and flour it. 
2. Sift flour, baking soda & powder, and salt in a large bowl . Add cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and cloves, whisk together and set aside.
3. Cut your sweet potato in chunks. Fill a small pot with water and add sweet potatoes. Allow sweet potatoes to cook over medium heat until tender. Mash and set to the side to cool.
4. Using a handheld mixer, beat butter on low speed for 2 minutes then add both sugars. Cream butter and sugars together on high speed until light and fluffy, about at least 5-7 minutes.
5. On medium speed, add eggs, one at a time until just incorporated. Egg should be incorporated before adding next egg. Scrape down the sides as needed. Don’t over mix. Add vanilla and mix for about 30 seconds.
6. On low speed, add half dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mix for a few seconds, add buttermilk,mix a few second add remaining dry ingredients and mix a few seconds. Scrape down sides and fold batter a few times by hand to combine completely.
7. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it in an even layer. Bake 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cake sit for about 10 minutes then invert  onto a cooling rack.
8. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer,   mix together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Dollop the frosting over the cake and gently spread. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.