The only day of the year where I have had sweet potatoes on my plate is Thanksgiving. But, since making this recipe, I’m all about sweet potatoes. I’m a huge fan of banana bread, but I’ve never considered substituting the bananas for another fruit, vegetable, or starch — especially not a sweet potato. But when I found this recipe, the thought of my kitchen smelling like baked sweet potatoes and pumpkin spice was enough to persuade me to try this new dish. The recipe does take some time, but the majority of the time the bread is baking in the oven. Microwaving the potatoes to make them tender and using smaller pans will absolutely speed up the process.

While not demonstrated in the video, a fun alternative to making a loaf of bread is making dozens of sweet potato bread muffins. They should take less than 20 minutes to bake and would be great if you’re having a bunch of friends over. Whether you’re looking for a fun Fall-themed treat, a cool way to incorporate vegetables into your diet, or a way to impress your friends, take an afternoon to put on some chill tunes and get to baking some sweet potato bread.

Sweet Potato Bread

  • Prep Time:25 minutes
  • Cook Time:60 minutes
  • Total Time:85 minutes
  • Servings:1 9x5 loaf or 2 8x4 loaves or bundt
  • Advanced

    Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Salt
Photo by Clarisse Callahan
  • Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350ºF.

  • Step 2

    Spray one 9×5 loaf pan.

    #SpoonTip: You can also use two 8×4 loaf pans, or a bundt pan.

  • Step 3

    Place sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl.

  • Step 4

    Pour water over potatoes and cover.

  • Step 5

    Microwave for 15 minutes, or until tender to the touch.

  • Step 6

    Allow sweet potatoes to cool before cutting the potatoes in half.

  • Step 7

    Using your hands, peel off the skins and place contents into mixing bowl.

  • Step 8

    With a fork, mash the sweet potatoes until they are smooth and free of bumps.

  • Step 9

    Add eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla to the sweet potatoes.

  • Step 10

    Whisk until combined, then set aside.

  • Step 11

    In a separate large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, granulated and brown sugar, and baking soda.

  • Step 12

    Add spices to taste: cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt.

  • Step 13

    Combine wet and dry ingredients.

  • Step 14

    Stir until no stray bits of dry ingredients are visible, folding and scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula if needed.

    #SpoonTip: Be sure to not over-mix as this will make for a tougher bread.

  • Step 15

    Pour batter into prepared pan(s), smoothing the top lightly using a spoon or spatula.

  • Step 16

    Bake for 60-70 minutes if using 9×5 or bundt pan.

    #SpoonTip: Reduce baking time to 40-45 minutes if using 8×4 pan.

  • Step 17

    Using tin foil, make a tent to place on top of the bread for last 15 minutes of cooking if top is browning a bit fast before interior has cooked through.

  • Step 18

    After fork comes out clean, remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes.

  • Step 19

    Let bread cool completely once removed from the pan on a plate or cooling rack before serving.