This sweet potato bread is ultra comforting and lightly spiced with a blend of warm spices. The roasted sweet potatoes in this recipe keep the bread tender and soft, even days after baking. Like many quick bread recipes, this loaf comes together quickly and can be easily adapted with different mix-ins, such as chopped nuts or chocolate chips. It’s an easy recipe to make with no mixer or special equipment required.
How to Make Sweet Potato Bread
The first step to making sweet potato bread is to roast a sweet potato in the oven, making sure to cook it all the way through so the flesh is extra soft. Once the sweet potato is cooked, the flesh is mashed and combined with flour, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. This batter is then baked in a loaf pan.
How to Make Sure Your Sweet Potato Bread Isn’t Dry
The mashed sweet potato and oil help keep the bread’s crumb moist and tender. When baking the bread, make sure to test it with a toothpick to prevent over-baking. It’s ready when a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean with just a few crumbs.
Credit: Stephanie Loo
Sweet Potato Bread Add-Ins
Feel free to stir 1/2 cup of the any of the following into the batter before baking:
- Chocolate chips
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- Raisins or dried cranberries
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces)
Cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Prick 1 large sweet potato all over with a fork. Wrap in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake until tender, 45 to 50 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave on HIGH until tender, about 10 minutes.) Let cool, then scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and mash with a fork; keep 1 cup in the bowl reserve any extra for another use.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Move the middle rack into the lower third. Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to the sweet potato and whisk until combined. Add 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, and whisk until combined.
Whisk in 3 large eggs, one at a time. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda over the surface of the batter and whisk vigorously until combined. Add 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and stir until just combined. Transfer into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar.
Bake for 40 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes more. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the bread cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Recipe Notes
Muffin variation: This recipe makes 15 to 18 sweet potato muffins. Bake at the same oven temperature for about 20 minutes.
Storage: Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature before serving.