Description
This Vegan Sweet Potato Coffee Cake is a moist and flavorful treat perfect for breakfast or dessert. Featuring a tender crumb infused with sweet potato and warm spices, it’s layered with a crunchy pecan crumble topping. Baked to golden perfection, this cake combines wholesome ingredients like vegan yogurt and olive oil, offering a delicious plant-based twist on a classic favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Crumb Topping and Filling
- 75 g chopped pecans
- 90 g all-purpose flour
- 75 g brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 65 g vegan butter (softened)
Dry Ingredients for Batter
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients for Batter
- 350 g cooked sweet potatoes (peeled and mashed)
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 170 g brown sugar
- 120 ml olive oil
- 1 batch vegan buttermilk (prepared separately)
Instructions
- Preparation: Line the base and sides of a 7.5 or 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced, or 180°C (356°F) conventional setting.
- Crumb topping and filling: Combine the chopped pecans, 90 g flour, 75 g brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and softened vegan butter in a mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the mixture together until it forms a sandy, crumb-like texture. Set aside for later use.
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift together the 300 g all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon into a bowl. Stir the mixture to combine and set aside.
- Puree sweet potato: After cooking and cooling, peel the sweet potato and weigh out 350 g of flesh. Place it in a food processor along with the vegan Greek-style yogurt and vanilla extract, then blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the pureed sweet potato mixture, 170 g brown sugar, olive oil, and vegan buttermilk until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Make the batter: Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients in two additions. Gently fold after each addition to avoid overmixing, maintaining a light and airy batter.
- Assemble: Spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared springform pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Sprinkle half of the crumble mixture evenly over the batter. Dollop the remaining batter gently on top and carefully spread it out to cover the crumble layer. Finish by scattering the remaining crumble over the surface.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 65 to 75 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If wet batter remains, continue baking in 5-minute intervals, checking each time. Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then release it from the springform and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Make vegan buttermilk by mixing 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar with 120 ml of plant-based milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
- Cook sweet potatoes by boiling, steaming, or roasting until soft, then cool before using.
- You can substitute vegan Greek-style yogurt with plain unsweetened plant yogurt if unavailable.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to one week.
