Chocolate Sweet Potato Bundt Cake

Gluten-Free/Plant-Based/Vegan/Dairy-Free

Not a day goes by that I’m not looking for some way to make a healthier version of comfort food…especially since traditional comfort food tears up my system like a mother. So, I have to get creative. Since I started gluten-free baking, there have been many experiments that have been both successful and not-so-great. What I have noticed is that when I can use fruits or vegetables incorporated into desserts, not only do they add vitamins and nutrients, but also add moisture and texture. It’s also a great way to trick your loved ones into eating healthier food, so it’s a win-win all the way around!

My teenage daughter saw this cake sitting on the counter when she got home from school and immediately came running into my office to ask if she could have some of the chocolate cake she saw downstairs. I sliced a piece and put it on her plate, her eyes big as she stared at it. I couldn’t wait for her to try this cake, because she does not like sweet potatoes.

I watched from the corner of my eye while I was putting up some other dishes, trying to avoid being obvious that I was watching her. She took a few bites, and I asked how she liked it. “It’s good!” she said as she continued to eat. I smiled, and she noticed. “What’s in it?” she asked. “Chocolate,” I replied.

After I went back upstairs and she finished her cake, I chuckled and patted myself on the back for tricking my family again into eating something healthy.

A week later, I made the same cake but with a slight variation. Instead of using sweet potatoes, I used organic pureed pumpkin and added two teaspoons of pumpkin spice. I took it to my brother’s house for a family gathering and asked my sister-in-law to taste it. She is an exceptional home cook and baker, and her opinion is gold based on her experience and pure honesty. She is not going to tell me she likes something if she doesn’t like it, which is why I appreciate her perspective. She cut a small piece and sat down at the table in front of me, taking a bite. I would say that I patiently waited, but I didn’t feel patient. “How was it?” I asked, looking at her when she was halfway done with it. “It’s dense but rich and very good. I think it’s perfect with the blend of chocolate and spices.”

“She used the word perfect!” I cried to my mom, sitting next to her. “Somebody write down the date!!”

Chocolate Sweet Potato Bundt Cake

1/3 cup ground flaxseed meal

2 ¼ cups maple syrup, divided

2 1/3 cups oat flour

2/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. salt

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes*

1 ½ cups avocado oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1 bag Hu or Lily’s chocolate chips, divided

1 tbsp. coconut or avocado oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground flaxseed meal and ¾ cup maple syrup in a small bowl and stir together, set aside to thicken. In a medium size mixing bowl or standing mixer, combine oat flour, cocoa, flaxseed mixture, baking powder, baking soda, salt, remaining maple syrup, sweet potatoes, avocado oil, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 1 minute, until well combined. Measure 1/2 cup chocolate chips from bag and stir into batter. Spoon into a greased bundt pan and bake in oven for about 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs. Remove pan from oven, let cake sit in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a parchment paper lined cooling rack for cake to cool completely. In a microwave safe dish, combine remaining chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. oil, stir together well. Place in microwave and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate on top of cake. Store cake in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days (for maximum freshness), or you can slice cake into pieces, individually wrap with plastic wrap and store in freezer for up to 6 months.

*Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Variation*

Replace mashed sweet potatoes with canned pureed pumpkin and add 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice!