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This sweet potato Bundt cake is moist and rich with fall spices! Smothered in cream cheese frosting, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any holiday.
Nothing brings people together like a cake made for sharing.
And this sweet potato cake recipe? It’s low-effort and every bit as indulgent as a dessert should be!
Warm, sweet, and easy to love, this Thanksgiving Bundt cake will surely bring all the cozy fall vibes to your holiday spread.
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This sweet potato Bundt cake recipe really makes you rethink what cake can be. Forget plain layers and try our Japanese cheesecake or peach cobbler pound cake next!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Bundt Cake Recipe
- This sweet potato cream cheese Bundt cake is easier on time and cost than a layered cake, but just as beautiful for any holiday table!
- Moist, tender, and full of cozy flavor, this sweet potato cake with cream cheese icing is a delicious alternative to the usual sweet potato pie.
- This sweet potato Bundt cake is perfect with all kinds of toppings, so you can make it just the way you like.
Ingredients
Sweet potato Bundt cake:
Cake flour – For a lighter sweet potato Bundt cake, we’ll use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Baking powder and baking soda – To help with the rise.
Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger – Sweet potatoes and brown sugar just make sense with warm spices!
Kosher salt and vanilla extract – Flavor enhancers for the sweet potato cream cheese Bundt cake.
Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature so they combine smoothly into the batter and prevent lumps.
Light brown sugar – With its deep, caramel-like flavor, brown sugar is the best way to sweeten this sweet potato cake.
Vegetable oil – For a moist and tender cream cheese Bundt cake!
Applesauce – Lends moisture and flavor to the Thanksgiving Bundt cake.
Mashed sweet potatoes – You can cook your sweet potatoes however you like. Just make sure to drain the excess liquid!
Chopped walnuts – They add a satisfying crunch to the sweet potato Bundt cake with cream cheese icing.
Butter and flour – Use butter and flour to prep the pan so the cake comes out smoothly after baking.
Cream cheese frosting:
Confectioners’ sugar – To thicken and sweeten the rich cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese – Always use full-fat cream cheese to get the richest flavor and creamiest texture!
Vanilla extract – To add depth to the frosting.
Half and half – For adjusting the consistency of the cream cheese frosting.
Ingredient Substitutions For Sweet Potato Cake Recipe
Orange glaze
If you prefer a less decadent take on this sweet potato Bundt cake recipe, try a citrus glaze instead of a cream cheese topping! Just combine a cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar with 5 teaspoons of orange juice.
Pecan praline topping
Sweet potato cake and praline are a match made in dessert heaven! To make a quick praline topping, combine 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk over medium heat. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 and 1/2 cups of chopped pecans and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Brown butter glaze
A simple yet dreamy topping that pairs well with this sweet potato cake is the nutty and oh-so-yummy brown butter glaze! Melt 1 stick of salted butter over medium heat until it’s golden brown, then let it cool. For the glaze, just combine the cooled butter with 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Tips For Making This Recipe
Get Perfectly Cooked Sweet Potatoes
If you’re worried about waterlogged sweet potatoes from boiling, prick them all over, microwave for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 5 minutes until fork-tender.
Use Silky Smooth Sweet Potatoes
After mashing, give your sweet potatoes a quick pulse in the food processor to make them extra smooth. This will give your sweet potato Bundt cake the best texture!
Prep Your Pan
Make sure to grease and flour your pan well, covering every corner so the sweet potato cake pops out smoothly after baking.
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Bundt Cake Recipe FAQs
Can I use canned sweet potatoes?
Yes, you can use canned sweet potatoes for this sweet potato Bundt cake recipe. Just make sure to drain them well.
How do I know when my sweet potato Bundt cake is ready?
The sweet potato cake is done once a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It’ll be golden brown and slightly pulling away from the sides.
Why did my Thanksgiving Bundt cake crack on top?
Your Thanksgiving Bundt cake may have cracked because you over-beaten the eggs, which added too much air into the batter and caused it to rise too high and crack.
Do you need to refrigerate this sweet potato cake?
Nope. Just store your sweet potato Bundt cake, without the glaze, in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating it, as this can dry the cake out more quickly. However, you can freeze it for longer storage.
Can you freeze this sweet potato cake cream cheese pound cake?
Yup! Once cooled, wrap your sweet potato cake in plastic wrap and foil, place it in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before adding the frosting.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Sweet Potato Bites
- Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole
- Pumpkin Roll
- No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Apple Crumble Cheesecake
I found this recipe for Sweet Potato Cupcakes that I HAVE to try!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey – If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below.
Sweet Potato Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Sweet potato Bundt cake:
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp applesauce
- 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Butter for greasing the pan
- Flour for the pan
Cream cheese frosting:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup half and half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter and flour the Bundt pan.
- Sift the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick.
- Add the vegetable oil and applesauce. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds, or until combined.
- Add the mashed sweet potato and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Fold in the walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes, checking with a toothpick at the 35-minute mark.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake cools, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth.
- Add the half-and-half and stir until fully combined.
- Pour the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake and sprinkle with a little cinnamon, if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- If you’re worried about waterlogged sweet potatoes from boiling, prick them all over, microwave for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 5 minutes until fork-tender.
- After mashing, give your sweet potatoes a quick pulse in the food processor to make them extra smooth. This will give your sweet potato Bundt cake the best texture!
- Make sure to grease and flour your pan well, covering every corner so the sweet potato cake pops out smoothly after baking.
Nutrition
PIN FOR LATER!
