Southern Sweet Potato Cake Recipe
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This delicious Southern Sweet Potato Cake Recipe is perfect to serve for any occasion, or any time you’re in the mood for baking. The cake is made layers of slightly spiced sweet potato cake and a honey cinnamon buttercream for a lovely combination that has been a palate pleaser over the years, and has become one of our most popular cake recipes.
For years we’ve enjoyed dining at Brick Street Cafe. Not only do they have a lovely, eclectic atmosphere but the menu, particularly the dessert menu is fabulous. The dessert selection alone is worth a visit. It’s like a tour of the South in dessert form!
A good plan when dining at Brick Street Cafe is to have a light salad for supper to save up room for cake because the cake serving size is crazy huge. One of the cakes they are famous for is their Sweet Potato Cake. It’s a lightly spiced cake, similar to carrot cake, but made with sweet potatoes and oh so moist.
For many years I had been wanting to recreate the Southern Sweet Potato Cake, so a few years back I set out to conquer it. A few renditions later and I settled on a cake that we are delighted with. It’s a moist cake with just the right amount of spice to compliment the sweet potato.
And yes, there is real sweet potato in this cake, about 4-5 of them to be exact. Just to push this Sweet Potato Cake over the top, I then paired it with a fluffy Cinnamon Honey Buttercream Frosting. Sweet potatoes, cinnamon, and honey always make a good team, don’t they?
It’s a cake worthy of a special occasion or even just an ordinary day you’d like to make special. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we have! Happy baking, y’all!
A few Sweet Potato Cake recipe notes:
- I’ve made this cake with and without freezing the cake layers. It is delicious either way but I do think freezing the cake layers (separately) creates a lovely dense and more moist cake. To freeze cake layers, wrap cooled layers (separately) in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then insert each wrapped layer in a zip-top plastic bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Don’t forget to label and date your cake!
- For the mashed sweet potatoes, I used my Quick Baked Potatoes method. It takes only 30 minutes! The potato halves can be easily peeled, then mashed. If you’re planning on baked potatoes for supper, bake some sweet potatoes while you’re at it to have on hand for cake making.
- Try my Cinnamon Honey Buttercream Frosting Recipe with this cake for a delectable combo.
More delicious baking recipes:
Strawberry Upside Down Cake
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
Homemade Gingerbread Loaf
Easy Blueberry Pie
Southern Sweet Potato Cake Recipe
Southern Sweet Potato Cake Recipe
A delicious cake for any day or holiday, made with sweet potatoes, cinnamon and ginger. Topped with Honey Cinnamon Buttercream for a perfect combination.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes, cooled (about 4-5 sweet potatoes)
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with baking parchment and butter the top of those too.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high for 4-5 minutes until creamy, stopping to scrape down bowl at least twice. Gradually add beaten eggs. Beat on medium-high for 1-2 minutes until fluffy, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vanilla and sweet potatoes and beat until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed (scraping down the bowl is important stuff, y’all).
- Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk. Beat on low speed until just incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350-degrees F for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
This recipe makes a 2-layer 9-inch cake.Pair this cake with Cinnamon Honey Buttercream Frosting for a delicious combination.
Originally published September 18, 2o15. Last updated July 18, 2021.
Hi Amy, this looks fantastic as I’m looking for a sweet potato-based cake recipe for my granny’s bday! Purple ones are her fav, any chance you’ve tried it with that and any adjustments required?
I have not tried it with that yet, but sounds like something I should try!
I baked this cake twice and neither rose like the one pictured. I bought new baking soda and powder, careful not to over mix, didn’t open the oven while baking, brought everything to room temp etc etc. The the only ingredient I changed was the buttermilk, I used lactose free whole milk and added the vinegar. I froze 3 layers, I’m going to make a 3 layer for Father’s Day. We ate the 4th layer and it’s so moist and delicious. Just can’t figure out were I went wrong. Both cakes were baked on high humidity days, not sure if that would affect the rise.
Hmmm … I’m not really sure what may be the trouble with the rise, Donna. There are always a variety of factors when baking that could change the results. Without testing it with a substitution, I’m not sure if the buttermilk substitution would have something to do with it or not.
Thank you for your quick reply. It’s possible that my sweet potatoes equaled more that 2 1/2 cups. I didn’t really measure. That and baking in the deep south on a rainy summer day might have affected the outcome. Can’t wait to make the buttercream frosting. I don’t even like sweet potatoes and this cake is scrumptious. Thank you for the recipe and the help.
I, too, have been looking for a sweet potato cake like Brick Street Cafe serves. Just this week I found out that DellaVentura in Greer also has a great Sweet potato cake. I then decided I had to find a recipe. I can’t wait to try this one!
Oooh … good to know! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Teresa.
The sweet potato cake served at DellaVenturas is actually made by Brick Street Cafe.
Is it possible to use canned sweet potatoes for this recipe? I realize this may be the lazy route but I have 3 small children and when I eventually do get the chance to bake, time is of the essence. 😉 thanks!
Canned sweet potatoes should work just fine, although they may have added sugar or other ingredients which will affect the results. Be aware of that.
Have all the ingredients for this delicious looking cake! Just wondered if this recipe would work baked in a 13 x 9″ pan or a Bundt pan? Thank you!
I have not baked this in a 13×9 pan yet. I do have friends who have made it multiple times in loaf pans succesfully. I think a 13×9 should work, adjusting the bake time until done.
Your recipe is beautiful! Haha I wish it was the one Brick Street actually used. I used to work there, they just add vanilla pudding and sweet potatoes to Duncan Hines Yellow Cake mix XD This looks amazing.
Hmmm … how interesting!
Hi holly. Are you sure that’s what they did? Sounds too easy for such a big seller. 🙂
I agree, Monica. 🙂
Yeah, actually they make the pie filling which is sweet potatoes, vanilla pudding, heavy cream, etc, but they set some aside and mix it with boxed cake batter. I read an interview with the owner and she said that pie recipe was a family secret from the owner’s husband, but she loves cake so she mixed his pie filling in and voila!
Hey, thank you! I can see that now. And it was Duncan Hines yellow that they mix it with? I’m so trying this as well. Btw, tried this cake here and it was fabulous (thank you Amy!)
Holly, do you know how many cups of sweet potatoes and boxes of vanilla pudding Brick Street used? Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Did they use instant pudding ? Someone told me they use the sweet potato pie filling in the cake wish they would publish a cook book .
I made this into a sheet cake for a picky customer and she loved it! My aunt has been working for Brick Street for more than 20yrs!!!
Can you use 1 c white and 1 c brown sugar?
I have not tried it like that, but it should work.
Hey! I am also looking for a recipe like Brick Street’s delicious cake. I read somewhere that the owner’s husband has a secret sweet potato pie recipe that his mixes up. Then they add that filling to their coconut cake recipe (minus the coconut). So I tried to do that one year, and it made a delicious cake, but still not quite like theirs, so I want to give this one a whirl for an upcoming bridal shower. I was wondering if I need to make any changes to make it for cupcakes, and if the amazing looking cinnamon-honey-butter icing needs to be increased to ice the cupcakes sufficiently?
I would not change anything for cupcakes other than the cook time. As far as the icing, I’m not quite sure as I’ve never made cupcakes but the recipe makes a pretty good amount.
I made this cake and it came out too dense .The favor was very good I just don’t know what I did wrong. What do you think I could have done wrong ?
I made this cake and it was delicious, however it did not turn out like Brick St. Cafe. This was definitely a spice cake from the darker color to the heavy ginger taste. Next time I will adjust. Maybe leave out the ginger altogether because I don’t get that taste when I eat the Brick St. version. Also, their cake is more of a yellow color which makes me think I would like to try a yellow cake recipe from scratch and add sweet potatoes. I’ll keep this recipe for the holidays but continue to search for another sweet potato cake recipe. Thanks for sharing your version!
Hi – Do average grocery stores sell whole buttermilk or do you make your own for this recipe?
Making this tomorrow! Whole buttermilk? Is that something I can purchase at an average grocery store or should I make my own.?
Making this tomorrow! Whole buttermilk? Is that something I can purchase at an average grocery store or should I make my own.?
You can make your own with a combination of milk and lemon juice.
Just curious how can you call it Brick Street Cafe’s recipe if you don’t own the company? Read some of the reviews and someone said had too much of a ginger taste. I’m with her because their case doesn’t have a strong ginger/spice taste.
I don’t believe I called it Brick Street Cafe’s recipe. I said it was my rendition of a Sweet Potato Cake recipe that reminds me of Brick Street’s recipe.
Ohhh ok Amy yeah saw that. They use cream cheese icing. Is your icing not as sweet? Torn between which one to use for party on Saturday. Just now roasted my sweet potatoes.
I think either icing would be nice. The icing I used is fairly sweet. Of course, the honey may be reduced to taste. Happy baking, Sandra!
I have a sweet potato soufflé I made for Christmas. We didn’t have guests this year, so I have a lot left over. Could I use these to make the cake? What would your recommendations be?
I don’t think that would work for this cake as the sweet potato in your souffle has already had other ingredients added to it that would change the outcome for the cake.
I have made a different version of this cake. Guess you say, the old fashion Sweet Potato cake. The frost sure was different. Have made Butter Cream frosting, for the other cake. I am going to have to try this cake and frosting.
Could this be made with canned sweet potatoes?
Yes, I think they should work, Amanda.
Hi Amy,
I’ve been to Brick Street Cafe a few times and had their Sweet Potato Cake. Also, our son and his wife had that as their wedding cake last year. I truly love that cake. So I was just thinking, I wonder if I could find that recipe (it’s supposed to be a secret recipe). So I thought, let me try Pinterest and your recipe popped up. I am definitely gonna try it. I can’t wait.
Thanks so much!
I hope you enjoy it, Marie. Of course, this recipe is my version of theirs, and since their recipe is a secret it will not be exactly the same, but we love it just as much, if not more. Happy baking!
Hi Amy, I can’t believe I sent you this message 2 yrs ago and I just made the cake now. Our granddaughter loves Brick Street Cafe’ Sweet Potato Cake. Monday is her birthday and she did mentioned the cake a few days ago, so I decided to make this one for her. My reason to send you a message is that I had way too much batter for two 9 inch pans and can’t figure out why since I didn’t change the recipe at all. Luckily, I has an extra 9 inch pan. It will be a three layer cake instead. I’m just wondering if anyone else had that situation. I can wait for her to taste it. Thanks for the recipe.
I stumbled across your blog b/c I’m trying to make Brick Street’s Sweet Potato cake for a birthday party! I searched by sweet potato cake and was so excited to see that you’ve had Brick Street’s so I have high hopes this will be great nock off!! Thanks
I’m going to try the cake for company this weekend. I’m short of time and want to try your freezing technique. Will the cake layers actually fit in standard-sized ziplock bags, or are there larger bags somehere?
I use gallon sized ziplocks.
How do you defrost these layers if you freeze them? Thinking of making 2 this week, one for tomorrow and one for Thursday but would obviously need to freeze the layers for Thursday. Excited to try this! Thanks!
Unwrap and let come to room temperature before frosting.