This Weight Watchers Sweet Potato Cake is a must-try next time you’re in the mood for a sweet treat.
If you’ve never had sweet potato cake before, this is the perfect recipe to try since it is only 5 WW points per serving. The sweet potatoes provide the cake with moisture and add just a subtle sweetness. They are paired with baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, making for an incredibly decadent dessert.
This cake also has a lightened-up yogurt frosting sweetened with maple syrup—another ingredient that pairs well with sweet potatoes. This version of Sweet Potato Cake is unique in its own way, but it is still reminiscent of the classic kind that you enjoy around fall and the holidays.
If you’re in need of a comforting dessert that can simultaneously impress your loved ones and keep you on track with your goals, this cake can come to the rescue. And if you’re looking for other sweet treats to make and serve with it, you can check out my baking recipe collection to find some other scrumptious recipes that are also suitable for Weight Watchers.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- It’s a great way to reduce food waste. Do you have any extra sweet potatoes you need to use up? There’s no better way to use them than in a yummy cake.
- It’s a crowd-pleaser! This classic cake has warm, comforting flavors that are balanced by the light and tangy frosting. All of your guests will certainly love it.
- It’s low in fat and low-point. Each cake slice only has 1 gram of fat, which is great for those watching their fat intake. Also, despite containing real sugar and maple syrup, it is still low in points.
Recipe Overview
- Serving Size: 1 slice (95g)
- Number of Servings: 12
- Time to Cook: 30 minutes
- WW Points Per Recipe: 5 WW points per serving, 61 for the entire cake (Click here to view the recipe in the WW app. WW login is required)
Ingredients in Weight Watchers Sweet Potato Cake
Cake Batter
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ tsp dried ginger
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup plain cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Yogurt Frosting
- 3 tbsp Pure maple syrup (plus more to taste)
- 1 ½ cups Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- Pumpkin pie spice, to taste
- 1 tbsp Sugar-free cheesecake jello powder (or vanilla)
Instructions for making Weight Watchers Sweet Potato Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes and all of the wet ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Add in all of the dry ingredients except for the flour, and start to combine. Gently fold in the flour to make the cake batter.
2. Once there are no flour clumps left, transfer the batter to a greased or parchment-lined 8×8-inch square baking pan or a 9-inch round pan.
3. Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown and springy to the touch. You can also check its center by inserting a knife and ensuring that it comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile, make the frosting by mixing all of the ingredients together until smooth. Add more maple syrup or jello mix to your liking. Pop it in the refrigerator so it can firm up while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
5. Remove the cake from the pan after about 10 minutes out of the oven. When it is fully cool, slice it in half horizontally. On the bottom layer, spread half of the frosting. Place the top piece of cake over the frosting layer, then spread the rest of the frosting over the top. Slice the cake into 12 even slices and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Reduce the Points: To reduce the points even more, you can use a 1:1 zero-calorie sweetener in place of the sugar. In the glaze, you can also substitute maple syrup for a zero-calorie sweetener that is powdered rather than granulated.
- Frosting Type: feel free to switch up the frosting. You can make a classic buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, or another type if you have some extra points to use up.
- Sweet Potato Cake with Maple Pecan Glaze: Instead of frosting the cake, you can make a homemade Maple glaze with pecans to take the cake to the next level. You will have to adjust the recipe in the Weight Watchers recipe builder to determine the new points amount.
- Spices: if you are out of nutmeg or ginger, you can always substitute them for another spice, such as a spice blend like pumpkin pie spice, or cloves or allspice. If using a different spice in place of another, I suggest using less since some of them are bolder in flavor, and you don’t want to overpower the cake too much.
Tips and Tricks for Making Weight Watchers Sweet Potato Cake
- You can puree the sweet potatoes if you want them to blend into the cake fully. I just did a quick mash with a masher/fork, and you can see some of the sweet potato strands in the cake. But if you don’t like the fibers, feel free to make the mixture completely smooth.
- Since this cake has a yogurt frosting, it will need to be refrigerated. Lighty wrap it to prevent it from drying out and enjoy it within 4 days.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Once the flour is mixed in, stop mixing. Otherwise, it will make the cake texture tough or gummy when it bakes.
- Although the frosting firms up in the refrigerator, you can also add more of the jello powder to make it even thicker. This will let it hold up longer at room temperature if you are serving it at a gathering.
- Allow the cake to cool entirely before frosting. The frosting will melt if you put it on the cake while the cake is still warm. If you are in a rush, you can pop the cake in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
Related Recipes
Weight Watchers Sweet Potato Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ tsp dried ginger
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup plain, cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Yogurt Frosting
- 3 tbsp Pure maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 1 ½ cups Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- Pumpkin pie spice, to taste
- 1 tbsp Sugar-free cheesecake jello powder, or vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes and all of the wet ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Add in all of the dry ingredients except for the flour, and start to combine.
- Gently fold in the flour to make the cake batter. Once there are no flour clumps left, transfer the batter to a greased or parchment-lined 8×8-inch square baking pan or a 9-inch round pan.
- Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown and springy to the touch. You can also check its center by inserting a knife and ensuring that it comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting by mixing all of the ingredients together until smooth. Add more maple syrup or jello mix to your liking. Pop it in the refrigerator so it can firm up while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
- Remove the cake from the pan after about 10 minutes out of the oven. When it is fully cool, slice it in half horizontally. On the bottom layer, spread half of the frosting. Place the top piece of cake over the frosting layer, then spread the rest of the frosting over the top. Slice the cake into 12 even slices and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
