Sweet Potato Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet potato pound cake combines two soul food favorites into one delicious recipe. You get the warm, spiced flavor of sweet potato casserole and the buttery, fluffy goodness of a classic pound cake. 

The cake has an irresistible, tender crumb that melts in your mouth, making it rich but not too dense. The cinnamon streusel filling adds a delightful crunch and an extra layer of spice.

And to top it all off, the smooth cream cheese frosting brings just the right amount of tangy sweetness. When you’re done with this recipe, try my sweet potato bread and butter pecan pound cake next!

Why This is the Best Sweet Potato Pound Cake Recipe

• Perfect for holiday season! This sweet potato cake recipe makes the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any fall and winter gathering wouldn’t be complete without a rich and spiced dessert like this.
• Moist & Flavorful! The addition of mashed sweet potatoes adds moisture and depth of flavor that sets this pound cake apart from traditional versions.
• Easy to Customize! You can swap out the cinnamon streusel filling or add nuts and other spices to make this recipe your own.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake Ingredients

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

• Large sweet potatoes – These add natural sweetness, moisture, and a tender crumb to the cake, making it rich without being too heavy. We’re roasting sweet potatoes then mashing into a sweet potato purée for that authentic sweet potato flavor. I also use these in my sweet potato tres leches so make that next!

• All-purpose flour – Flour is the cake’s foundation. Unlike with my salted caramel kentucky butter pound cake, we’re using all purpose flour as opposed to cake flour. This recipe has more liquid and needs a stronger flour, like all purpose, to give it structure for a soft, tender crumb.

• Spices – Warm spices like cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give the cake its signature fall flavor, adding depth and complexity with every bite. The spices really bring out that sweet potato taste! 

• Kosher salt – We use just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhance the other flavors. 

• Baking soda – This helps the cake rise and keeps the texture light and fluffy.

• Butter and Vegetable Oil – Butter adds richness and a buttery flavor that makes this pound cake melt in your mouth. I use salted butter because it has a bit more flavor but feel free to use unsalted butter as per your personal preference.

• Sugar – The combination of brown sugar and white sugar gives the cake a perfect balance of sweetness with a hint of molasses from the brown sugar.

• Flavoring – Vanilla adds warmth and depth, while maple extract complements the sweet potatoes and spices, giving the cake an extra boost of flavor.

• Large Eggs – Eggs provide structure and help bind all the ingredients together, making the cake moist and light.

• Sour Cream – adds tang and tenderness to the cake, keeping it moist while also giving it a moist texture.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• Cream Cheese – The tangy cream cheese pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the cake and adds a luscious, creamy texture to the frosting.
• Powdered Sugar – This sweetens the frosting and helps create a smooth, silky texture.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla rounds out the flavor of the frosting, adding a sweet and fragrant note that ties everything together.
• Whole Milk – this is what gives the frosting it’s glaze-like consistency that coats the sweet potato pound cake like a glove!

Or try the buttery cream cheese glaze from my cream cheese pound cake or my pineapple pound cake!

How to Make Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes become fork tender. Remove the skins and set mash until smooth. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool completely.

Step 2: Spray a 15-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cinnamon ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, brown sugar, and sugar, and mashed sweet potatoes. Mix together for 2 minutes on medium speed (ths batter may be soupy, this is OK!). Add vanilla extract, maple extract, and then add the eggs, one at a time. The batter may break, this is OK. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix. Add dry ingredients and sour cream and mix until combined.

Step 4: Whisk together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. This will be the cinnamon swirl.

Step 5: Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon streusel on top, then add the remainder of the batter on top.

Step 6: Bake for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.

Step 7: While the cake is baking, make the icing. Add cream cheese to the bowl a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix for about 30 seconds, until smooth. Then add a pinch of salt, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Begin mixing on low speed until combined, then add milk and mix until just combined, about 10-20 seconds.

Step 8: Once the cake is finished baking, allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the bundt pan, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Add icing on top of the cake. Serve with vanilla ice cream or enjoy by itself! 

Pro Baking Tips 

• Bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time. I like to bake the sweet potatoes the day before to save time. Whatever you do, make sure they’re fully cooled before adding them to the batter. This prevents it from becoming too loose.
• If you don’t have a potato masher, use a food processor to blend the mashed sweet potatoes until they’re completely smooth. 
• Don’t overmix the batter. After adding the flour, mix just until combined to keep the cake tender and avoid a dense texture.
• Use room temperature butter and cream cheese. This makes it easier to blend them smoothly, resulting in a creamier frosting without lumps.
• Use fresh spices. For the best flavor, make sure your spices are fresh. Older spices can lose their potency and won’t provide the same warmth and depth.

Storage

To store the sweet potato pound cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to keep it moist. It can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.

If you want to freeze it, make sure it’s fully cooled, then wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing for up to 3 months.

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