Author: This Vegan Sweet Potato Bread is soft, moist, warmly spiced, and packed with sweet potato in every bite. This easy quick bread is perfect for fall breakfasts, afternoon snacks, Thanksgiving, or holiday baking. Add pecans or walnuts for a little crunch, chocolate chips for an extra decadent treat, or enjoy it just as it is!
My New Favorite Fall Bake: Sweet Potato Bread
To me, sweet potato is the new pumpkin! It's creamy, naturally sweet, and makes the most wonderfully soft, tender bread. With brown sugar and warm spices, this loaf has everything I want in a cozy fall bake. I love a slice just as-is or with a smear of vegan butter. For a little extra yum, fold pecans or walnuts into the batter for crunch, or add chocolate chips for little pockets of chocolate. Want to take it in more of a cake direction? Let the loaf cool completely, spread vegan buttercream over the top, and finish with chopped nuts. Stunning!
Why You'll Love This Sweet Potato Bread
- Wonderfully soft and tender: Mashed sweet potato adds moisture and richness to every slice.
- Cozy fall flavor: Brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger make this loaf smell as good as it tastes.
- Easy to stir together: No mixer, yeast, or kneading needed. Just mix, bake, and let it cool!
- Make it your own: Enjoy it plain, fold in nuts or chocolate chips, or dress it up with buttercream for dessert.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Bread
- All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour keeps this loaf soft and tender.
- White and brown sugar: Using both gives us sweetness along with a little extra moisture and caramel notes.
- Warm spices and vanilla: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla make this sweet potato bread supremely cozy.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Using both helps this sweet potato bread rise without eggs or egg replacers.
- Mashed sweet potato: This is a great use for an extra sweet potato roasted with dinner! Mash it until smooth and measure before adding. Plain canned sweet potato purée works too, but skip sweet potato pie filling, which contains added ingredients. You'll find roasting and microwave instructions in the recipe card below.
- Plant-based milk: Soy or oat milk both work well here. Choose plain, unsweetened milk so it doesn't add extra sweetness or flavor.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice: A little acidity works with the baking soda to help the loaf rise.
- Pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips: Optional, if you want your sweet potato bread to be a little extra.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Bread
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, breaking up any brown sugar lumps.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk the sweet potato with the remaining wet ingredients.
- Make the Batter: Gently combine the two mixtures, then fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if using. The batter should be thick and sticky.
- Bake and Cool: Spread the batter in your prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool briefly in the pan, then move it to a rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Bread
- Don't overmix: Stop stirring once you no longer see dry flour. A few small lumps are fine! Overmixing can make the bread tougher and less fluffy.
- Roast for the best flavor: Roasting brings out the sweet potato's natural sweetness and adds a rich, caramelized flavor. Whenever I'm roasting sweet potatoes for dinner, I like to throw an extra one in for baking later!
- Let it cool before slicing: The loaf is delicate while hot and needs time to set as it cools. Slicing too soon can squash the soft crumb or cause the slices to fall apart.
- Gluten-free option: Choose a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum, and let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking. Results may vary with the blend.
More Sweet Potato Baking Ideas
Got more sweet potatoes ready for baking? Try my Sweet Potato Brownies for something chocolatey, or my Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Pie for another fall dessert.
Storage and Freezing
- Room temperature: Once the sweet potato bread is cool, wrap it tightly or transfer it to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep the bread in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, tightly wrapped and stored in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
If you try this vegan sweet potato bread recipe, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to hear what you think! Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Sweet Potato Bread
This sweet potato bread recipe turns a cup of mashed sweet potato into the coziest fall treat! Think soft, tender slices, brown sugar sweetness, and cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in every bite. It's easy to stir together, and a thick slice with a smear of vegan butter? SO good.
Servings: loaf (about 10-12 slices)
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Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
- ¾ cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or oat)
- ⅓ cup light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or vegan chocolate chips, (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8 x 4-inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pan. A 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan will also work, but the loaf will be a little shorter.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the mashed sweet potato, plant-based milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until well combined.
- Make the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky. Don't overmix, a few small lumps are fine. Fold in the nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle a few extra nuts or chocolate chips over the top, if desired. Bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Sweet potato: Use 1 cup (250 g) cooked and mashed sweet potato. Whenever I'm roasting sweet potatoes for dinner, I like to throw an extra one in the oven so I can make this bread later! You can also cook a sweet potato specifically for this recipe or use plain canned sweet potato purée (not sweet potato pie filling).
To roast a sweet potato: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork and place it on a baking sheet. Roast for 40–50 minutes, or until very soft. Let cool enough to handle, then remove the skin and mash until smooth. Measure 1 cup (250 g).
To microwave a sweet potato: Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork and microwave on high for 5–8 minutes, turning halfway through, until very soft. Larger sweet potatoes may need a few extra minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove the skin and mash until smooth. Measure 1 cup (250 g).
Storage: Once completely cooled, store the sweet potato bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze the cooled loaf or individual slices tightly wrapped in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking to hydrate the flour. Texture may vary slightly depending on the brand.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1 loaf makes 10 slices) | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 5452IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
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