Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake with Cinnamon Swirl

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This Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake with Cinnamon Swirl is a beautifully flavoured and textured cake. Sweet potato and cream cheese are baked into the butterscotchy sponge whilst ripples of buttery cinnamon swirl through the centre. A generous pouring of thick maple cream cheese frosting makes this gluten-free bundt cake one of the best of the season.

this recipe

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this Sweet Potato Cake
• Sweet potato in a cake?
• How to make the sweet potato puree
• Gluten-free flour blend
• Black pepper
• Maple extract
• Full list of ingredients
• How to make the cake
• Tips for best results
• Shop the recipe
• How to store
• How to freeze
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Swirl
• More sweet potato recipes
• Other desserts you may love
• Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake with Cinnamon Swirl

This Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake was one of the backbones of my cake stall when I used to do the Sunday farmer's market. It was the recipe I would get the most requests for and if I didn't bring it to the market one weekend there would be a riot.

Believe me, all the hype is worth it and despite the amount of times I have made it, it will always be one of my favourites to bake and to enjoy a slice of. It is so moist, full of flavour and such a joy to serve to people who would never think to enjoy sweet potato as a dessert. And it has proved popular all year round, Autumn is when the rich flavours and warm spices of this Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Bundt Cake truly shine.

Why you'll love this Sweet Potato Cake

• Richly flavourful with sweet potato, brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon.
• A gluten-free flour blend of sweet rice flour, oat flour and potato starch give the cake beautiful flavour and texture.
• Gorgeous cinnamon swirl which not only looks beautiful but gives the cake an incredible flavour.
• Black pepper is added to the cake to give a gentle warmth
• A gorgeous finish of maple cream cheese frosting is drizzled over the top.
• Oh, and of course it's one of your 5-a-day so you're doing your health a delicious favour.
• No xanthan gum is needed here. READ MORE >>> Why I never bake with xanthan gum

Sweet potato in a cake?

I'm British so I would never normally sweeten my sweet potatoes when eaten as a savoury dish. When I was in Alabama a few years ago I ordered mashed sweet potatoes as a side and was astounded by the heavy sugar added into this already very sweet ingredient to accompany my fillet steak. I hesitate to say I didn’t like it, but at the risk of offending a whole lot of Americans, I really didn’t.

However, because of the natural sugars present sweet potatoes are absolutely delicious in a dessert. Their rich earthy flavour pairs beautifully with warm comforting Autumn flavours and warm spices.

If you love pumpkin cake then really this gluten-free sweet potato cake should be a natural alternative.

If you love sweet potatoes in a dessert then why not try this Gluten-Free Chocolate Torte which is made with sweet potato puree baked into the rich chocolatey batter for a glorious dessert.

How to make the sweet potato puree

Many recipes might tell you to peel, chop and boil the sweet potato in chunks then mash when cooked. I prefer a different, more flavourful way.

Bake the sweet potato in their skins

Wrap each sweet potato individually in foil then bake for 1 hour at an oven set to 180°C. They are ready when you press gently into the potato and your finger squishes in. Leave them to cool before unwrapping from the foil and their loosened skins. They will be so soft that you can just mash them with a fork.

Gluten-free flour blend

We use 3 gluten-free flours in our flour blend to create the perfect texture and structure to our gluten-free sweet potato bundt cake. This particular blend means we have no need for xanthan gum.

Oat flour

Its rich toasted butterscotch undertones compliment the savouriness of the sweet potato, tang of the cream cheese and warmth of the cinnamon. I haven’t tasted another cake like this one.

However oat flour is one of those gluten-free flours that not all wheat intolerant folks can handle, so tread carefully here if you are making it for someone else who is gluten-free. It’s possible to buy gluten-free oat flour but if you can’t find it at your local health food shop or supermarket then you can grind your own gluten-free oats. 

READ MORE >>> The Ultimate Guide to Oat Flour

Substitution. The oat flour can be substituted for sorghum flour.

Sweet rice flour

This is a delicately flavourful flour that provides excellent structure and texture to the cake. It is also known as glutinous rice flour (although it contains no gluten) and its naturally sticky tendencies mean the cake holds together beautifully.

READ MORE >>> The Ultimate Guide to Sweet Rice Flour

Substitution. The sweet rice flour can be substituted for almond flour.

Potato starch

This flour is used to balance out the cake so that we don't overuse the sweet rice flour which could lead to a dense cake. It's neutral and great for pairing with other gluten-free flours.

Substitution. The potato starch can be substituted for tapioca starch.

You could also substitute all 3 flours - the oat flour, sweet rice flour and potato starch - for my Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend. It works beautifully in this cake.

Black pepper

Something else which might surprise you in this recipe is the use of black pepper. I love using freshly ground black peppercorns in some of my bakes as it adds a deep rich spice note. It doesn’t interfere with any of the flavours but just enhances the background kick. The baking process also removes its heat so don’t worry if you don’t like things too spicy.

Maple extract

Another slightly unusual ingredient in this cake is the maple extract used in the maple cream cheese icing. I first came across maple extract in a recipe by The Pioneer Woman for her famous cinnamon rolls where she insists that it should not be substituted for maple syrup. So when I first made cinnamon rolls I complied to the letter of instruction. I have to say it does make all the difference.

If you were to use maple syrup you would have to use a fair amount to really get the flavour of maple into your icing which then distorts the liquid ratio in the recipe and adds too much sweetness when you are already using icing sugar. The maple extract imbues the icing with its beautifully rich flavour without any of the former problems. It’s not easy to buy in shops but I use this Maple Flavouring from Amazon and it works brilliantly in our bundt cake with maple cream cheese icing.

Full list of ingredients

• Sweet potatoes
• Sweet rice flour
• Oat flour
• Potato starch
• Cream cheese
• Caster sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Butter
• Eggs. This recipe uses medium size. 60g each with shell and 50g each without the shell
• Vanilla extract
• Maple extract
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Black pepper
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Icing sugar
• Whole milk

How to make the cake

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Cinnamon swirl

Mix melted butter, sugar, icing sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon together and set aside.

Cake batter

• Sift the dry ingredients together.
• Beat sweet potato puree, cream cheese and vanilla together.
• Cream sugar with butter, add the eggs.
• Add the flour and the sweet potato mixture into the rest of the cake batter alternately until fully mixed.

Adding into bundt tin

• Spoon ⅓ cake mixture into the bundt tin and smooth. Dot in half cinnamon swirl mixture and swirl around with a cocktail stick.
• Repeat with the next ⅓ cake mixture and then the next half of the cinnamon swirl.
• Finally add the last of the cake mixture. Smooth over and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Maple cream cheese frosting

• Beat the icing sugar with the butter and cream cheese.
• Add the whole milk and maple extract and beat until combined.
• Spoon over the cake.

Tips for best results

• Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you begin (including the eggs).
• You can make this cake in a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer or in your stand mixer.
• The best way to grease your bundt tin is by using baking spray. Then sprinkle in a tablespoon of gluten-free flour (it doesn't matter which one), twisting and turning the tin around so that it covers the baking spray in an even layer. Finally turn the tin upside down and knock out the excess flour - you should be left with a light dusting.

Shop the recipe

Sweet Rice Flour (glutinous)

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Gluten-Free Oat Flour

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Potato Starch

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Swirl Bundt Tin

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Release A Cake Spray

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How to store

This gluten-free cinnamon swirl cake cake stores very well at room temperature for up to 3 days if kept in a cool dark place in an airtight container.

How to freeze

I recommend freezing the whole sweet potato bundt cake prior to frosting. Allow to come to room temperature then double wrap in plastic wrap and aluminium foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw at room temperature overnight before unwrapping and frosting.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Swirl

For this alternate version then you only need to make one switch and swap out the same amount of sweet potato puree for your favourite brand of canned pumpkin puree.

More sweet potato recipes

• Sweet Potato Rosti with Bacon
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Torte with Sweet Potato
• Sweet Potato Feta Tortilla

Other desserts you may love

• Gluten-Free Spice Cake
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
• Gluten-Free Banana Rum Caramel Bundt
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
• Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

I urge you to give this Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake a try, it’s such a great recipe and a cake I will never tire of baking or eating. If you do make this it then please leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating which will help others find the recipe on Google. If you make the recipe or use it as a building block for another delicious gluten-free cake creation, say maybe swapping out the sweet potato for pumpkin, I’d also love it if you tag me on instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your creations and variations of my recipes.

This recipe was updated in November 2019 to give clearer instructions and expert tips on how to make this cake.