Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake (No Sugar, No Flour)

No-Sugar Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

If you have stuck around the blog for long, then you know that we love natural forms of sweetener as substitutes for refined sugar.

So it should come as no surprise that we do not use white sugar in this recipe.

Instead, honey is the sweetener of choice.

What kind of honey? Well, that matters a lot.

We like to use raw organic honey whenever possible in our recipes.

Though that doesn’t always happen (because of money constraints or availability), it is our preference because of the higher nutritional value of raw organic honey than processed honey. (For more on that point, read this article by Dr. Axe.)

No-Flour Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Thankfully, there are so many ways to make cake without flour!

Does that surprise you?

Sometimes, you don’t even need a substitute for the flour because the ingredients supply enough “stickiness” to hold together.

Other times, a replacement for the flour is in order.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Sometimes, healthy recipes can be complicated. This one isn’t.

And here are some other reasons you will love it:

• Relatively quick
• Super moist
• Packed with nutrition
• Gluten-free
• Sugar-free
• Stores well

What Is in This Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Sweet potato.

Sweet potato is the binding agent for this recipe, meaning that this cake doesn’t require any type of flour or flour substitute. (Awesome, huh?)

Sweet potato are also a great source of antioxidants (which are also present in cacao powder). And, according to VeryWell Health, “the nutrients in sweet potatoes are excellent for your gut, eyes, immune system, and more.”

Raw organic honey.

Lest I ever be accused of not loving raw organic honey enough, let me harp on its amazing benefits yet again.

Dr. Axe sums it up well: “Studies have indicated that a daily dose of raw honey raises levels of health-promoting antioxidants in the body.”

Yet another addition of antioxidants to this recipe? Another win!

100% cacao powder.

Dark chocolate cacao powder is simply one of the finest things in baking. If you are a fan of dark chocolate, then dark cacao powder will likely also be something you will appreciate.

Typically, I like to use raw cacao powder. But for this recipe, I wanted the extra flavor that dark chocolate provides, so I turned to 100% dark cacao powder (Dutch-processed).

While this does mean that some of the nutrition is likely lost in the processing, there are still benefits (and great flavor) from the cacao.

Peanut butter.

Peanut butter can be a great pairing for carbohydrates because it may help stabilize blood sugar (source).

Eggs.

Eggs give bountiful protein, as well as a host of other nutrients. In fact, Healthline says that “[e]ggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.”

(And this is why our family opts to keep eggs in most of our recipes rather than using substitutes.)

Dark chocolate.

Do we even need an excuse to include dark chocolate?

Tools You Will Need

• a stand mixer (this makes the work so much easier, though you can definitely use a mixing bowl instead)
• a spatula
• a small saucepan
• a 9″x9″ glass baking dish

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Cake

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 /4 cup whole milk mixed with 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup dark cacao powder (100%, Dutch-processed)
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate

How to Make Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Step One: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9″x9″ glass baking dish and set aside.

Step Two: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the mashed sweet potato, peanut butter, and honey. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, stirring well.

Step Three: Blend in the milk mixed with apple cider vinegar.

Step Four: In a separate bowl, sift together the dark cacao powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir into the cake batter until fully incorporated, with no pockets of dry ingredients remaining.

Step Five: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or just until starting to set. (I like to underbake my cake a bit so that it turns out extra-fudgy.)

Step Six: Allow the cake to cool completely.

Step Seven: In a small saucepan, warm the heavy whipping cream just until hot. (There is no need for it to boil.) Remove from the heat and stir in the dark chocolate, until melted and smooth.

Step Eight: Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cooled cake. Allow to set. (If you want to speed up the process, you can set the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.)

Step Nine: Enjoy!

Storage Instructions

If your sweet potato chocolate cake survives more than a few minutes on the table, then store it in an airtight glass container. You can keep it in the refrigerator (which we especially recommend if you are making this in a warm climate or during the summer months) or at room temperature for up to three days.

If you wish to store the cake for longer, you can freeze it in an airtight Ziplock food storage bag. Make sure to cool it completely before storing it. Keep for up to three months in the freezer.

When ready to eat, allow the cake to thaw at room temperature for several hours before consuming.

Can You Make Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake Ahead of Time?

Yes! This cake is an excellent make-ahead option. For storage ideas, see “Storage Instructions” above.