Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake
With pureed sweet potatoes that keep it moist and dense, this healthy coffee cake with maple and pecans is the ultimate treat for breakfast or dessert. Make this Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake for Mother’s Day or any special occasion.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake
March means sugaring season here in Vermont. So I’ll be helping out in our backyard sugaring operation, plus I’ll be making lots of maple recipes including this healthy coffee cake with maple and pecans.
This take on a classic coffee cake is made without any refined sugars, just maple syrup. Plus it uses a blend of whole-wheat along with all-purpose flour for added fiber and nutrients. And it has sweet potato as a secret ingredient to keep it dense and moist with less added fat (read: fewer calories). Pecans on top add crunch and nuttiness.
Recipe Highlights For This Healthy Coffee Cake with Maple and Sweet Potato
- Sweet potato and maple syrup make this cake moist.
- The streusel topping is crumbly and nutty with a touch of cinnamon.
- It stores well, including in the freezer.
- Great for brunch or dessert.
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
- Sweet Potato: If you prefer to skip cooking and pureeing sweet potato, try swapping in canned pureed pumpkin.
- Flours: White whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. White whole-wheat flour has a milder flavor than whole-wheat flour. It’s fine to just use all-purpose only.
- Unsalted Butter
- Eggs
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Maple Syrup: I use pure maple syrup (dark or amber) for its more intense maple flavor. Maple is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water in baked goods making them more moist than white sugar.
- Pecans
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Avocado Oil: Canola oil also works here.
- Other Baking Staples: baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, salt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven & grease cake pan
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
Step 2: Make streusel topping
Mix pecans (if using), ½ cup all-purpose flour, oats, melted butter, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, cinnamon and salt in a small bow until crumbly.
Step 3: Make cake batter
Whisk white whole-wheat flour, ½ cup all-purpose flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
Step 4: Mix sweet potato mixture with dry ingredients
Beat sweet potato, 1 cup maple syrup, eggs, melted butter, oil and vanilla in a mixing bowl on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the dry mixture to the maple mixture and gently blend on slow until just combined. Spread in the prepared pan.
Step 4: Bake cake
Top the batter with the streusel topping. Bake until the center is puffed and set. It will spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out with moist crumbs attached, 46 to 50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes wire rack. Run a knife around the edges and remove the sides. Serve warm.
FAQs and Expert Tips
This sweet potato streusel coffee cake will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days. Or wrap in foil and pop it into the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze this coffee cake, wrap in plastic wrap, then put it into a zip-top bag and freeze for up to three months. This coffee cake is best eaten fresh, but it freezes fairly well. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, put it into the oven for a few minutes until warmed through.
Steam 1 1/2 –inch cubes of peeled sweet potato until tender, 17 to 21 minutes. Cool and puree in a food processor or mash until smooth.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a savory main course like Mushroom Quiche, Vegetable Breakfast Strata or Veggie Scrambled Eggs.
- Add sausage patties, bacon or ham on the side.
- Make a bowl of fruit salad, fresh berries or cut-up seasonal fruit.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
With pureed sweet potatoes that keep it moist and dense, this healthy coffee cake with maple and pecans is the ultimate treat for breakfast or dessert. Make this Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake for Mother’s Day or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Streusel
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Cake
- 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup pureed cooked sweet potato *ingredient note
- 1 cup pure maple syrup, dark or amber
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
- Make Streusel Topping: Mix pecans (if using), ½ cup all-purpose flour, oats, melted butter, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, cinnamon and salt in a small bow until crumbly.
- Make Cake Batter: Whisk white whole-wheat flour, ½ cup all purpose flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Beat sweet potato, 1 cup maple syrup, eggs, melted butter, oil and vanilla in a mixing bowl on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add dry mixture to the maple mixture and gently blend on slow until just combined. Spread in the prepared pan.
- Bake Cake: Top the batter with the streusel topping. Bake until the center is puffed and set. It will spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out with moist crumbs attached, 46 to 50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes wire rack. Run a knife around the edges and remove sides. Serve warm.
Notes
Cooking Tip: To make pureed cooked sweet potato: Steam 1 1/2 –inch cubes of peeled sweet potato until tender, 17 to 21 minutes. Cool and puree in a food processor or mash until smooth.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 296
- Sugar: 25 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
More Healthy Cake Recipes:
Morning Glory Parsnip Maple Coffee Cake
Healthier Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Healthy Maple Carrot Sheet Cake
Moist cake with good flavor. I might serve it with a little maple syrup on top to satisfy my sweet tooth at night. Thanks!
I have loved every recipe I’ve made from your web site – this is my favorite….can I give it 6 stars?
I’m so glad I’m here. I love all your recipes! This cake sounds amazing. 🙂
So glad you’re here too Christine. Have a great day.
I’m definitely going to make this to bring to the sugar house! My husbands family has had a sugaring operation for almost 125 years! They do primarily buckets, with about 2500+ taps. We are actually just tapping out this weekend!
I hope you enjoy it Amy! Happy sugaring season. Yesterday we fired up the boiler and sweetened the pan.
Love this! Could I use coconut oil instead of avocado? I have all the other ingredients on hand. Thanks!
That should work just fine Kitty! Please let me know how it comes out.