Celebrate the arrival of fall and its flavors with this sweet potato sheet cake with cream cheese frosting!
This comforting dessert combines the earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes with warm spices and tangy-sweet frosting you’ll want to eat right from the bowl.
It’s super moist, insanely flavorful, and ideal for cozy gatherings or as a special treat for your family.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Warm Spices: The blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice gives the cake a comforting and aromatic quality.
Versatile Presentation: Dress it up with crushed cookies, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips! Or go all out with a drizzle of salted caramel.
Moist & Delicious: This cake is renowned for its exceptionally moist texture, thanks to sweet potatoes and sour cream.
Crowd-Pleaser: This cake will be a hit at any event with its delicious blend of spices and creamy frosting. And with its easy-to-serve sheet pan format, it’s an impressive choice for potlucks, parties, or family gatherings.
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: Mashed and cooled, they’re the key to the color, texture, and flavor. Feel free to blitz them in a food processor.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the cake, providing structure and texture.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are responsible for the cake’s perfect rise and fluffy texture.
- Spices: The flavor enhancers. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice create a warm, aromatic blend that complements the sweet potatoes.
- Salt & Vanilla: A pinch of salt enhances all the flavors in the cake, while the vanilla brings another layer of sweet warmth.
- Granulated & Light Brown Sugar: A combination of sugars for sweetness, depth of flavor, and a hint of caramel goodness.
- Vegetable Oil & Sour Cream: Keep the cake moist and tender, ensuring a delightful texture in every bite.
- Large Eggs: Act as a binding agent, holding the cake together and contributing to its velvety crumb.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: The crowning glory. A luscious blend of cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and cream, with a hint of cinnamon.
How to Make Sweet Potato Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, this cake strikes the perfect balance between indulgence and homey charm.
It’s a celebration of autumn’s bounty in every bite, bringing together the best of the season’s flavors.
And yet, it’s beyond easy to recreate! Here are the steps:
1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
2. MIX the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Then, very gently combine and pour into the baking dish.
3. BAKE for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool.
4. BEAT the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Blend in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon (if using). Add heavy cream (one tablespoon at a time) until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
5. FROST the cooled cake and top with crushed cookies. Serve and enjoy!
Tips For the Best Sweet Potato Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing dessert or just want to fill your home with the irresistible aroma of fall baking, this sweet potato sheet cake is sure to become a seasonal favorite.
Check out these tips, then let’s get baking!
- Proper sweet potato preparation. Ensure sweet potatoes are cooked and mashed smoothly. Using a food processor can help achieve a silkier texture.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Get the eggs, butter, and cream cheese out early for easier mixing and a lighter, fluffier texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter. You can use a mixer for the wet ingredients, but then mix in the dry by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
- Frosting consistency. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time to achieve the desired frosting consistency. It should be smooth and spreadable but not too runny.
- Variations. Add mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter, or swap out the frosting for chocolate or even peanut butter frosting.
How to Store
I’ve always been a pumpkin spice fanatic, but this sweet potato cake might just be my new fall obsession.
Trust me, your friends will be begging for the recipe (and probably inviting themselves over for seconds).
Luckily, it stores well!
To Store: Cover the frosted cake tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic and foil. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge and finish with fresh frosting.
Note: I don’t recommend freezing the frosting or the frosted cake as it can turn watery after thawing.
More Spiced Desserts for Fall
Indian Pudding
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Sweet Potato Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
12
servings20
minutes35
minutes690
kcalThis moist and flavorful sweet potato sheet cake with cream cheese frosting is great for gatherings, fall holidays, or when you want a comforting treat.
Ingredients
- For the Sweet Potato Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, adjust for consistency
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Crushed Biscoff or Gingersnap cookies, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugars and vegetable oil until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream, mashed sweet potatoes, and vanilla.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently by hand until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center is removed cleanly. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon, then adjust the consistency with heavy cream, as needed. It should be smooth and spreadable but not too runny.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top. Sprinkle with crushed cookies, if desired. Then, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure sweet potatoes are cooked and mashed smoothly. Using a food processor can help achieve a silkier texture.
- You can use a mixer for the wet ingredients, but then mix in the dry by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of sweet potatoes?
Absolutely, June! Just substitute two cups of canned pumpkin in for the sweet potatoes. 🙂
Everything else should remain the same, though you may want to tweak the amount of spices slightly to better complement the pumpkin flavor. 🙂