Sweet potato bread is a delicious, dense bread with a similar texture to banana bread but a taste closer to pumpkin bread.
What should I do if I don’t have buttermilk for the sweet potato bread?
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use 1 teaspoon of vinegar and ⅓ cup of the milk of your choice. Let the vinegar and dairy sit for about 5-10 minutes before using.
I have used this trick with cows and almond milk and never had any trouble.
Can I use different seasonings for sweet potato bread?
You absolutely can. This recipe calls for just cinnamon, but you can replace it with nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, or any spices in equal quantity that you prefer. If you find that you need some suggestions to fully stock your spice cabinet, check out our Beginner Home Cook Essentials Guide!
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Check out some of our favorite drinks that you can pair with this sweet potato bread!
Special Equipment:
You don’t need a food processor, you can mash the sweet potatoes by hand, but a food processor does make it a lot easier. Here’s the one I use:
Ingredients to make Sweet Potato Bread:
16 oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
⅓ cup water
2 cups of flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cups applesauce (unsweetened)
2 eggs
½ cup brown sugar (can increase to ¾ cup if you want it sweeter)
⅓ cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
How to Make Sweet Potato Bread:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a microwave-safe bowl, add ⅓ cup of water and the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. Microwave for 5 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are falling apart and can be mashed with a fork.
Alternatively, you can cook the sweet potatoes in a pot with water on the stove as you would regular potatoes.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. When the sweet potatoes are done, mash them finely with a fork or place them in a food processor. Blend until they are completely mashed. Add the applesauce and brown sugar and mix thoroughly.
Next, you will add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Make sure that the sweet potato mixture is not too hot. If it’s too hot you can cook the eggs, so air on the side of caution if you’re unsure. Next, mix the sweet potato mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix or you risk your bread coming out too gummy.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or you can put butter on the sides and bottom to prevent sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with only a few crumbs and not wet dough. If the bread is getting too dark, you can cover the top with tinfoil for the last 20 minutes or so.
Let cool completely before cutting and serve!
Sweet Potato Bread
Equipment
- food processor optional
Ingredients
- 16 oz sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cups applesauce unsweetened
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup brown sugar can increase to ¾ cup if you want it sweeter
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add ⅓ cup of water and the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. Microwave for 5 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are falling apart and can be mashed with a fork. *
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- When the sweet potatoes are done, mash them finely with a fork or place them in a food processor. Blend until they are completely mashed. Add the applesauce and brown sugar and mix thoroughly.
- Next, you will add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Make sure that the sweet potato mixture is not too hot. If it’s too hot you can cook the eggs, so air on the side of caution if you’re unsure.
- Next, mix the sweet potato mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix or you risk your bread coming out too gummy.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or you can put butter on the sides and bottom to prevent sticking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with only a few crumbs and not wet dough. If the bread is getting too dark, you can cover the top with tinfoil for the last 20 minutes or so.
- Let cool completely before cutting and serve!
Notes
- you can also boil the sweet potatoes as you would mashed potatoes until they are fork tender