Vegan Sweet Potato Bread

This vegan sweet potato bread makes the perfect addition to any holiday party. It requires just 15 minutes of active kitchen preparation + a handful of simple ingredients, and it's a total crowd-pleaser. Sweet enough to entice yet not so sweet that it can't be served alongside a main course!

May the fall-spiced quick breads and muffins abound this holiday season. 🙌🏻

Perhaps it's just the usual cravings that crop up in anticipation of the impending holiday season, but I have a hunch that the recent flurry of cravings I've experienced for sweet potatoes and pumpkin-spiced goods is almost purely the product of being 37 weeks pregnant. Going out with a cinnamon- and nutmeg-dusted bang.

This vegan sweet potato bread is everything. It's easy to make (just 15 minutes of active kitchen time required), comes together with a simple list of ingredients, and is a total crowd-pleaser.

In addition to several rounds of testing, I've made it three times in the last month, and I've set my sights on a fourth encounter this weekend.

To make this simple vegan sweet potato bread, you'll start with a flax egg.

Whisk together a bit of ground flaxseed and some filtered water. Let the mixture rest for about five minutes, or until it thickens into a goopy consistency.

Then, whisk in the remaining wet ingredients, including sweet potato purée (or pumpkin if you prefer), finely grated carrot, coconut sugar, grapeseed oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.

Once the wet mixture is ready to go, get to work on the dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together whole spelt flour, ground cinnamon + nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.

Then, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.

The batter (see above) will be fairly thick with a rich orange hue.

Once the batter is ready, pour or scoop it into a parchment-lined (or greased) loaf pan. If desired, sprinkle the surface with pepitas and/or chopped walnuts (totally optional, absolutely delicious).

Bake for 45+ minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs at the tip.

Let the sweet potato bread cool in the pan for a bit and then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Then, slice and enjoy all on its own or with a slather of vegan butter and fruit preserves if you're feeling extra fancy.

This vegan sweet potato bread is packed with vitamin A and fiber. It's just sweet enough to be enticing yet not so sweet that it can't be enjoyed as a snack or alongside the main course at a special holiday celebration.

I hope you enjoy this tender, fluffy, fall-spiced bread as much as I do!

If you make it, be sure to share a photo on Instagram and hashtag #blissfulbasil so I can see and share on my end, too.

📖 Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Sweet Potato Bread

This vegan sweet potato bread makes the perfect addition to any holiday party. It requires just 15 minutes of active kitchen preparation and a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. Plus, it's a total crowd-pleaser. Sweet enough to entice yet not so sweet that it can't be paired as a side dish alongside a main course!

Course Bread, Breakfast, Side

Cuisine plant-based, Vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 loaf (14 slices)

Author Ashley

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 3 tablespoons filtered water
• 1 ½ cups canned sweet potato purée (nearly an entire 15-ounce can)
• ¾ cup finely grated carrot
• ½ cup expeller-pressed grapeseed oil (or melted virgin coconut oil if you don't mind a coconutty taste)*
• ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups whole spelt flour**
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Toppings

• Pepitas and/or chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 5" x 10" loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken. Then, whisk in the remaining wet ingredients (i.e., sweet potato purée, carrot, grapeseed oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla).
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (i.e., spelt flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt).
• Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and use a large wooden spoon to stir until just combined (read: no flour patches remain). Be careful not to overmix—spelt has a delicate gluten structure, so overmixing will result in dry, crumbly bread.
• Spoon the batter into the lined loaf pan and use a spatula to gently smooth the surface.
• If desired, garnish the top with a light sprinkling of pepitas and/or walnuts. Press down lightly to ensure they stick to the batter.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs at the tip.
• Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, and then very carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.

Notes

*For an ultra-dense and moist loaf, add an additional tablespoon of oil (i.e., ½ cup + 1 tablespoon) and bake the loaf for just 45 to 50 minutes. 

**Please stick with whole spelt flour here and resist the urge to substitute other flours, especially gluten-free ones. I've tested this recipe with a few different gluten-free flours (including oat flour) and had very subpar results.