Healthy, unfrosted Chocolate Sweet Potato Snack Cake reminds me of the snack cakes we enjoyed as after-school treats when I was growing up. The cakes I remember came from boxed mixes. My homemade version sneaks in a vegetable and whole grain flour. The result is light and tender, with a good cocoa flavor and just a faint hint of spiciness from the sweet potato. Several troops of Boy Scouts went crazy for it when I made it for a cooking demonstration at the North Carolina History Museum. I like to take this cake to potlucks because it travels so well.
This recipe is a variation on the Chocolate Pumpkin Snack Cake in my book, Wildly Affordable Organic. It uses sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin, so it’s easier to make year-round. It’s also cholesterol and dairy free because it uses ground flaxseed instead of eggs and coconut oil instead of butter.
Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: about an hour. Makes 8 servings.
2 tablespoons finely ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons water
1 cup white whole wheat flour (120 grams)
1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder (30 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sunflower or coconut oil, room temperature
shortening for pan or eight paper cupcake liners
1 cup sugar (200 grams)
2/3 cup mashed baked sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree, or canned plain pumpkin (140 grams)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Make flaxseed eggs by mixing ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons water in a microwave-safe container, then microwave on high for 40 seconds. Stir with mixture with a fork to get an eggy texture, then cool to room temperature.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a small bowl to blend. Put coconut oil and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream together on medium speed for about 1 minute. Grease an 8 x 8-inch pan or put 8 paper liners in a muffin tin. Add flaxseed eggs to sugar mixture and beat on medium speed for about a minute. Mix in sweet potato and then mix in dry ingredients.
- Spread batter in pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (30 minutes for cupcakes), until a tester inserted into cake’s center comes out clean.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Store any extra covered at room temperature or wrap well and freeze.
Reader Comments
Thank you so much for this post. Have you tried replacing the oil with applesauce? If so, how much longer did you bake it for?
Apr 2, 2017 | elissarward
Hi Elissarward, I haven’t tried replacing the oil with applesauce, but that’s a good idea! I don’t think it would take any more baking time if you did. And when I’ve under-baked this cake because I’ve put too much else in the oven, people just thought I’d made delicious brownies. Because there are no eggs in this recipe, you can safely eat the batter raw. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out and if you had to bake it any longer.
Apr 5, 2017 | Linda Watson
