Sweet Potato Bread

Sweet Potato Bread has such a great mix of fall flavors, with sweet potatoes and spices like cinnamon and cloves baked into every bite. It’s perfectly soft, and the vanilla icing on top adds just the right amount of sweetness. 

You can add nuts for some crunch if you want, or keep it simple; both ways taste great! Sweet potatoes keep this bread really moist and add a natural sweetness that makes it extra special.

I love making this Sweet Potato Bread because I can have it in the oven in just a few minutes. It’s also a great use of leftover sweet potatoes!

This sweet potato bread is fantastic with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast, but I find myself sneaking pieces all day long. It’s perfect for packing in lunch boxes, too. We also love this Apple Walnut Bread and Nutella Banana Bread for a sweet, indulgent breakfast.

This bread is great in any season, but it feels extra special during the fall. I like to make two loaves at once, one to eat right away and one to save for later. You can just wrap the extra load in foil and pop it in the freezer. That way, you’re set for the next time you need a homemade treat!

Ingredient Notes

See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

• Sweet Potatoes: I boil and mash mine, but you can also bake them. Just make sure they’re cooled before mixing into your batter. You’ll need about 2 medium sweet potatoes to get 1 cup mashed.
• All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly here. Just make sure to measure it carefully – I spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off.
• Oil: I use light olive oil because it’s what I always have on hand. Any neutral cooking oil works well – vegetable, canola, or even melted coconut oil.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These help the bread rise nicely. Make sure they’re fresh for the best results.
• Spices: The mix of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice gives this bread its warm flavor. Feel free to add a bit more cinnamon if you love it, or swap in nutmeg for the allspice.
• Nuts: Optional, but walnuts or pecans both add great crunch. Toast them first for even more flavor. You can leave them out if you prefer, and the bread is still delicious.
• Eggs: The recipe needs 2 large eggs at room temperature for the best mixing.
• Milk: I like to use whole milk, which helps keep the bread soft and moist.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract makes the icing taste amazing. The bread is sweet enough that you can skip the icing, but it adds such a nice touch.
• Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works best here. I’ve tried reducing it to 3/4 cup and the bread still tastes great if you prefer it less sweet.
• Powdered Sugar and Milk: For the icing, start with 2 tablespoons of milk and add more drops until you get the right drizzling consistency.

How To Make Sweet Potato Bread

Start by heating your oven to 325°F and greasing a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a small bowl, mix your dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all your spices: cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. This helps distribute everything evenly so you don’t get any surprise pockets of spice in your bread.

Grab a larger bowl for your wet ingredients. Mix the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and mashed sweet potatoes until everything looks smooth. The sweet potatoes should be cool when you add them, if they’re still hot, they might cook the eggs.

Now add half of your dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir. Add the milk and the remaining dry ingredients, stirring just until you don’t see any dry flour. Mixing too much can make your bread tough. If you’re using nuts, fold them in gently.

Pour the batter into your greased pan. It should be thick but still pourable. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Bake for about 65 minutes. Your bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The top will be golden brown and might crack a bit; that’s normal.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the bread is cool, make your icing. Start with 2 tablespoons of milk mixed with the powdered sugar. Add more milk a few drops at a time until you get an icing that’s thick but still drizzles nicely. Pour it over your bread and let it set before slicing.

Substitutions and Variations

• Make it nutty. Try different nuts like macadamia nuts or hazelnuts instead of pecans or walnuts.
• Change up the spices. Add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg or cardamom to the spice mix, or use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices.
• Add dried fruit. Mix in 1/2 cup of dried cranberries or raisins along with or instead of the nuts.
• Switch the icing. Try a cream cheese icing instead of vanilla, or drizzle with maple syrup while the bread is still warm.

Storing and Freezing

Store: Keep your Sweet Potato Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm, store it in the fridge where it’ll stay fresh for about a week. Just bring slices to room temperature before eating.

Freeze: This sweet potato bread recipe freezes really well for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. You can freeze it whole or in slices – slices are great because you can thaw just what you need. If you haven’t added the icing yet, wait until after you thaw the bread to add it. Let the bread thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on the counter.

Recipe Tips

• Measure your mashed sweet potatoes after mashing, not before. One cup is just right – too much will make the bread too dense.
• Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter. Overmixing can make your bread tough.
• Toast your nuts before adding them to bring out more flavor. Just spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven while it preheats.
• Don’t skip greasing the pan well – this bread can stick. I grease every corner and the bottom thoroughly.
• Wait until the bread is completely cool before adding the icing. If it’s even a little warm, the icing will melt and run off.
• Start with less milk in your icing and add more slowly. You can always thin it out if you need to.

Can I use whole wheat flour?

You can replace up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Using all whole wheat will make the bread too dense.

The top of my bread cracked. Is this normal?

Yes! Quick breads often develop a crack on top as they rise. It’s actually a sign of a good loaf.

Sweet Potato Bread brings together simple ingredients for a homemade treat that’s soft, flavorful, and just sweet enough. Once you smell it baking, you’ll understand why this bread disappears so quickly!