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Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Dried Cranberries

Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Dried Cranberries

Sweet potato pie is probably the most obvious choice of baked good when it comes to sweet potatoes, but these veggies are surprisingly versatile and it’s worth branching out from the standard to try other recipes, like Sweet Potato Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies or this Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Dried Cranberries. This is one of my new fall favorites, and a great addition to a holiday brunch menu. I’d use canned sweet potato puree (plain, unsweetened) if I were going to bake a batch just before a big holiday meal and homemade cooked sweet potato puree (unseasoned) as a way to use up leftovers after the feast.

The coffee cake is easy to put together, with a moist cake base and a crisp streusel topping. The sweet potato contributes a lovely orange color and a round, naturally sweet flavor to the cake, but it’s biggest impact is on the texture. Compared to a plain coffee cake, this version is more moist and a bit denser. Much like the denseness in a pound cake, the finished cake actually tastes very rich, not heavy, because it is very tender. The dried cranberries add in some additional sweetness to the cake and add a little bit of texture, too.

Since I wanted the flavor of the sweet potato to really shine, I only added spices to the streusel topping. This adds just a hint of spice to the coffee cake and doesn’t overpower the natural taste of the sweet potato.  By this, I really mean that it keeps it from tasting like just another cinnamon-spiced coffee cake! The cake will keep well for a couple of days when stored in an airtight container, so feel free to make this a day or two ahead so you have something to munch on – or serve to company – as you keep the kitchen turning out tasty treats over the holidays.

Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Dried Cranberries
Streusel
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pureed sweet potatoes (cooked, unseasoned; fresh or canned)
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9-in square pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together all topping ingredients on low speed – or stir very well by hand – until moist, sandy crumbs are formed. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light. Beat the eggs, adding them one at a time until mixture is smooth, then blend in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix in the pureed sweet potatoes.
Gradually stir flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture, stirring only until everything is incorporated and no streaks of flour remain visible. Stir in dried cranberries and scrape batter into prepared pan.
Top batter with streusel mixture, generously sprinkling it into as even a layer as possible.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Serves 12.

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11 Comments
  • Sophie
    November 17, 2009

    hello people. The recipe I already know and can only recommend it. it is really very delicious, it let you taste good! 🙂

  • Nutmeg Nanny
    November 17, 2009

    Wow I have never had a coffee cake like this before! I bet it was fantastic. Do you use canned sweet potatoes? Do you use the ones in a light syrup? Those seem to be the only canned ones I can find…

  • Den Santiez
    November 17, 2009

    Wow this look very delicious. i never had a coffee cake like this too. i want to try it out

  • forex robot
    November 19, 2009

    Nice post & nice blog. I love both.

  • claire adams
    November 19, 2009

    Those look so good.

    The recipes looks like something I might be able to pull off. Might have to give this a try this weekend.

  • Daydreams of Baking
    December 31, 2009

    I made this coffe cake last night and boy is it yummy! Thanks for a great recipe Nicole! 🙂

  • watch anime online
    April 15, 2010

    looks delicious i am going to the kitchen now 🙂

  • tinggi badan
    May 10, 2010

    if I were going to bake a batch just before a big holiday meal and homemade cooked sweet potato puree (unseasoned) as a way to use up leftovers after the feast.

  • travesti
    May 15, 2010

    this look very delicious. i never had a coffee cake like this too. i want to try it out

  • bolu
    May 16, 2010

    Wow this look very delicious. i never had a coffee cake like this too. i want to try it out

  • travesti
    May 18, 2010

    thank your plaesa

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