Sweet Potato Layer Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

This Sweet Potato Layer Cake with Marshmallow Frosting will soon become a signature dessert at your table. 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share with you another option for sweet potato lovers like me. If you like Sweet Potatoes but maybe aren’t a huge fan of Sweet Potato Casserole, this dessert is for you. This Sweet Potato Layer Cake is a cake you will make and never forget. Every bite is deliciously flavorful and soft. 

The cake starts with a sweet potato batter that is spiced with our favorite fall spices and has freshly made sweet potato puree. I like making my own sweet potato puree (cooked sweet potatoes mashed) because I can control the moisture and freshness. You can however use canned sweet potatoes and mash-up. Just be sure to drain as much liquid as possible. The batter bakes up easily in cake rounds. The recipe below makes a two-layer 9-inch cake. 

The cake is topped with my signature marshmallow frosting! it is one of my favorites in the fall. Nothing like marshmallows and sweet potatoes! It is also very light and a great complement to a sweet cake. 

The light sweet potato flavor in this clock is spot on. With the subtle spiced undertones, it’s a great alternative to sweet potato pie or sweet potato casserole. Let’s walk through how to make this sweet potato layer cake. If you’d rather skip the step-by-step, scroll to the end for the recipe. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix brown sugar and eggs using an electric mixer until combined. Add in your vanilla extract, sweet potato puree, and melted butter and mix until it’s combined. 

Alternate adding the milk and flour into the batter and stir until it’s combined. 

Next, divide the batter equally into the pans prepared.

Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Before inverting your cakes onto a wire rack, always let your cakes cool in the pan for a minimum of 10 minutes. 

Next up, the frosting. Personally, this is the best part of the cake. To make the frosting, you will mix all of the ingredients needed with an electric mixer.

While the frosting might be a little runny you can add powdered sugar. I suggest chilling it for 20-30 minutes. You want to use the frosting to fill and decorate your Sweet Potato Layer cake as desired.

Garnish with sugared cranberries and enjoy! 

The Marshmallow Frosting completes this perfect Sweet Potato Layer Cake. It makes a perfect cake for all of your holiday gatherings. Your family is going to ask for me the second they finish the last bite. 

If you are looking to try other ways to use your sweet potatoes, I suggest Sweet Potato Pie with Maple Marshmallow Topping or Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting if you would rather have cupcakes. 

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: 1 8-inch layer cake

Sweet Potato Layer Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

A classic sweet potato layer cake filled with fall spices and wrapped in sweet marshmallow frosting.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

For Cake:

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted, browned, and cooled
• 1 1/3 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 cup whole milk

For Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
• 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch (or 3 8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment rounds and grease parchment.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the brown sugar and eggs until combined. Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and sweet potato puree. Mix until just combined.
3. Alternating, add the flour and milk into the batter and stir until just combined.
4. Divide the batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in the pans for at least 10 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack.
5. To make the frosting, beat the butter for a few minutes on medium-high speed until creamed. Add in the marshmallow fluff and beat until incorporated, another 2-3 mins. Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined. The frosting might be runny but you can add more powdered sugar and also chill for 20-30 minutes.
6. Use the frosting to fill and decorate the cake as desired. I used sugared cranberries to decorate.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  KitchenAid KE060OHOBA Classic Utility Whisk
• 
  OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Silicone Spatula Set
• 
  Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!