Description
This Vegan Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is a moist, tender, and flavorful treat perfect for breakfast or dessert. It features a smooth sweet potato and vegan yogurt batter layered with a spiced pecan crumble and baked to golden perfection. The cake is naturally sweetened with brown sugar and enhanced with warm cinnamon and vanilla notes, making it a comforting and wholesome vegan delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Crumb Topping
- 75 g chopped pecans
- 90 g all-purpose flour
- 75 g brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 65 g vegan butter (softened)
Dry Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 350 g cooked sweet potatoes (peeled and cooked)
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 170 g brown sugar
- 120 ml olive oil
- 1 batch vegan buttermilk (approx. 120 ml)
Instructions
- Preparation: Line the base and sides of a 7.5 or 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced or 180°C (356°F) conventional to ensure even baking.
- Crumb Topping and Filling: Combine all crumble topping ingredients—chopped pecans, flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and softened vegan butter—in a mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the mixture together until it achieves a sandy, crumb-like texture. Set this crumb mixture aside for later use.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon into a separate bowl. Stir well to combine evenly and set aside.
- Puree Sweet Potato: Once the sweet potatoes are cooked and cooled, peel them and weigh out 350g of the flesh. Add the sweet potato flesh to a food processor along with the vegan Greek-style yogurt, vanilla extract, and zest. Blitz until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, brown sugar, olive oil, and vegan buttermilk until you get a smooth, well-combined batter.
- Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches. Gently fold after each addition until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cake.
- Assemble: Spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared springform pan, smoothing it with a spatula. Evenly sprinkle half of the prepared crumble mixture over this layer. Carefully dollop the remaining batter on top of the crumble layer, then gently spread to cover. Finish by scattering the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the surface.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 65 to 75 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If wet batter sticks to the skewer, return the cake to the oven and bake in 5-minute increments until done. After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Just before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar for an attractive finish.
Notes
- Note 1: Sweet potatoes should be cooked until soft by boiling, baking, or steaming, then peeled and cooled before use.
- Note 2: Vegan Greek-style yogurt provides creaminess and moisture; alternatives like plain plant-based yogurt can be used.
- Note 3: Olive oil adds richness and moisture; other neutral oils like avocado or canola oil may also be used.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to maintain a light texture.
- Use parchment paper to ensure easy removal from the pan.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before slicing to preserve structure.
