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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Coffee cake

    Cranberry Sweet Potato Crumb Cake

    Published by Melissa on February 21, 2013 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 25 Comments

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    Featured Image for post Cranberry Sweet Potato Crumb Cake

    Sweet potato is the secret ingredient that makes this coffee cake super moist and delicious. It’s also loaded with dried cranberries, topped with a crunchy almond crumb topping, then drizzled with a sweet icing. A delightful way to get your beta-carotene in the morning. 

    Today bloggers have joined together to celebrate Sweet Potato Day. We’ve teamed up with Jane Maynard, Alice Currah and ONE to help raise awareness of the life changing affects of the Orange Sweet Potato. ONE, it is a non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization, co-founded by Bono, that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

    Did you know:

    • Every year, poor nutrition claims the lives of more than 3.5 million children. That’s more than one in three of all child deaths.
    • 2.3 billion children died in 2011 in part due to malnutrition.

    No child should die from malnutrition. Fortunately, progress is being made by using new a technique called biofortification. A process by which crops are bred to deliver much stronger nutritional value. The orange flesh sweet potato was the first such crop to be introduced.

    School children watering the fields

    Sweet potatoes are widely eaten in Africa.  An estimated 7 million tons are produced each year.  However, they are usually white in color and low in vitamin A – an essential nutrient that prevents blindness and infant deaths.  More than one in three African children is deficient in Vitamin A. The health toll is enormous: more than 600,000 children die from vitamin A deficiency every year.

    A Ugandan breeder developed a new orange-colored variety of sweet potato that is loaded with orange-hued beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. More than 24,000 households received the orange sweet potato vine in Uganda and Mozambique between 2007 and 2009. The program resulted in increases in orange sweet potato adoption and consumption.  Impressively, vitamin A intake by women and children as much as doubled.

    Child carrying a basket of sweet potatoes

    Efforts are currently underway to reach more than a million households with this nutrient-packed orange-fleshed tuber over the next few years.  And the orange sweet potato is just the beginning: experiments are underway to transform other staple crops like beans, wheat and maize with other life-saving nutrients like zinc and iron.

    Isn’t that amazing. That a small change like growing orange-hued sweet potatoes can have such a huge impact on people’s lives.

    So how can you help?

    Helping is easy. Just Sign the Petition. The US spends less than 1% of the budget on foreign assistance.  Now the smart programs that we spend so little on are at risk. Please take a minute or two to help.

    Sweet-Potato-Coffee-Cake-Barbara-Bakes

    For Sweet Potato Day, I decided to bake something using sweet potato. We love pumpkin chocolate chip bread because it’s so moist and tender, so I created a coffee cake recipe that uses mashed sweet potato.

    This recipe makes a beautiful, tall coffee cake that rises high above the springform pan. It was taking forever for the center to finally get baked, so I decided to stick a metal skewer in the middle so it would bake faster. I think next time I bake it, I’ll divide the batter in to two 9″ cake pans and make double the crumb topping. Or bake it in my coffee cake pan instead.

    Sweet-Potato-Coffee-Cake-Collage-Barbara-Bakes

    If you’ve been wondering why I’ve been posting so many coffee cake recipes lately, it’s because my son asked me to make more coffee cakes for breakfast on the weekends. He doesn’t like breakfast very much. Most mornings he doesn’t bother to eat it. I’ll hand him a granola bar, but I often find it on the kitchen table after he’s left for school.

    Since he asked me to bake him more coffee cakes, how could I refuse. Especially, since his I love coffee cake on the weekend too.

    Featured Image for post Cranberry Sweet Potato Crumb Cake
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    Cranberry Sweet Potato Crumb Cake

    Prep Time25 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 5 mins
    Total Time1 hr 30 mins
    Course: Coffee cake
    Servings: 8 -10 servings
    Author: Barbara Schieving
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    Crumb Topping

    • ½ cup sugar
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 3 tablespoons butter melted
    • ½ cup slivered almonds lightly crushed

    Batter

    • 1 large sweet potato
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
    • 3 large eggs
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup light sour cream
    • 1 ½ cups dried cranberries

    Icing

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons milk

    Instructions

    • Prepare Crumb Topping: Combine ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup flour, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter and mix with a fork or your hand, until mixture is crumbly. Mix in almonds. Set aside.
    • Pierce the sweet potato with a fork. Microwave on high for 7 minutes, turning it over halfway through the cooking time. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel sweet potato and mash in a small bowl. Set aside to cool.
    • Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour 2 9” cake pans or a 9” springform pan (or use baking spray with flour); set aside.
    • Stir together 2 cups flour, whole wheat pastry flour, pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside dry ingredients.
    • In a mixing bowl, beat 2 cups sugar with softened butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla, sour cream and 1 cup mashed sweet potato.
    • Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Mix in cranberries. Spoon batter in to prepared pan.
    • Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes. Sprinkle crumb topping on top of cake and return to the over for an addition 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Total bake time will be 55 -65 minutes.
    • Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
    • Prepare icing: Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice to create a thin glaze.
    • Drizzle icing on cake. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. (Unless you’re like us and would rather eat it hot even though the cake doesn’t cut as well.)

    Notes

    *Pumpkin Pie Spice substitute: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

    Please visit all the bloggers and help us celebrate Sweet Potato Day:

    Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos from This Week for Dinner
    Truffle Sweet Potato Frites from Savory Sweet Life
    Sweet Potato & Chicken Sausage Stew from Chefdruck
    Honey Sweet Potato Biscuits from Food for My Family
    Sweet Potato Burgers from Cutie Booty Cakes
    What’s Gaby Cooking and Sweet Potato Day
    The Mission List and Sweet Potato Day
    World Moms Blog and Sweet Potato Day
    Go Graham Go and Sweet Potato Day
    Cranberry Sweet Potato Crumb Cake from Barbara Bakes
    Bourbon and Marshmallow Sweet Potatoes from Boston Mamas
    Documama and Sweet Potato Day
    Sweet Potato Bread Pudding from Eat the Love
    Lamb Shanks with Sweet Potatoes and Sausage from Kitchen Gadget Girl
    Sweet Potato Love To Help End World Hunger from Love That Max
    Celebrating Sweet Potato Day with Mom Trends
    Sweet Potato Chili from Righteous Bacon
    Cooking Sweet Potatoes for Picky Eaters from Rookie Moms
    Sweet Potatoes and Global Health from Third Eye Mom
    Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Kielbasa ONE Skillet Bake from Tickled Red
    Sweet, Dude, Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash from Helen Jane
    Oh My Sweet Potato Apple Bake from Bowl Licker
    Sweet Potato and Peanut Gratin from Non-Reactive Pan
    Sweet Potato Fries from When You Wake Up a Mother (also found on Million Moms Challenge)

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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Melissa B

      February 23, 2013 at 4:29 pm

      I love sweet potatoes, this looks awesome! =)

      Wonderful post! Thank you for raising awareness!

      Reply
    2. Cookin Canuck

      February 22, 2013 at 8:35 am

      That’s so tragic that so many children die from something as preventable as Vitamin A deficiency. Thank you so much for writing this post and raising awareness.

      And that cake…well, I could happily dive right in for a piece.

      Reply
    3. teresa

      February 22, 2013 at 8:00 am

      i have a sweet potato sitting on my shelf, staring, begging to be used. i think i know what i’m doing with it now!

      Reply
    4. Emily

      February 21, 2013 at 10:17 pm

      Signed the petition!

      Reply
    5. Shaina

      February 21, 2013 at 9:16 pm

      Gorgeous cake for a wonderful cause. Love the streusel topping!

      Reply
    6. Blond Duck

      February 21, 2013 at 8:33 pm

      I love the icing drizzling down!

      Reply
    7. cooking rookie

      February 21, 2013 at 5:51 pm

      Beautiful cake! I have never tried baking with sweet potatoes, but judging by the looks it must be delicious.

      Reply
    8. Donna

      February 21, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Beeeeoooooootiful!!!

      Reply
    9. Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen

      February 21, 2013 at 3:33 pm

      I don’t care how they’re prepared, I can’t seem to turn down sweet potatoes! Also, your skewer idea is great. Tucking that away for the future…

      Beautiful cake!

      Reply
    10. Helen Jane

      February 21, 2013 at 3:10 pm

      This looks so tasty!

      Reply
    11. Averie @ Averie Cooks

      February 21, 2013 at 12:31 pm

      I love sweet potatoes, and coffee cakes, and streusel topping. This is a winner on all. And I think it’s super sweet you bake per your son’s requests. As a mom, if I am EVER asked to bake anything, I instantly oblige. Most times I beg them for suggestions and get “i dunno” or “whatever” in return 🙂

      Reply
    12. Jen Burden @WorldMomsBlog

      February 21, 2013 at 12:17 pm

      Love the story about the Ugandan farmer and the more orange sweet potato!

      My mom would LOVE this cake — great recipe!

      Jen 🙂

      Reply
    13. Robin {Mom Foodie}

      February 21, 2013 at 11:52 am

      Gorgeous cake & a great cause. Too much emphasis has been put on supplying “calories” to hungry people, but if those calories are empty of nutrients they do little good.

      Reply
    14. Rosa

      February 21, 2013 at 11:36 am

      A beautiful cake! Wonderfully moist and delicious.

      Cheers,

      Rosa

      Reply
    15. Rocky Mountain Woman

      February 21, 2013 at 10:06 am

      I think coffee cake is the perfect breakfast and this one is actually good for you!

      Reply
    16. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

      February 21, 2013 at 9:48 am

      Mmm!! This sounds delightful!

      Reply
    17. jane maynard

      February 21, 2013 at 9:35 am

      Barbara, that cake looks amazing! and thank you for your beautiful post and for sharing the powerful story of the orange sweet potato. xoxo

      Reply
    18. Jamie

      February 21, 2013 at 9:16 am

      Just as I literally finish off a plate of sweet potato wedges… Great cause, Barbara, and I always get so angry when governments of rich countries force farmers to destroy crops or destroy excess production of milk and grains when there are so many people starving. But this cake looks amazing! I’m a sweet potato freak and we all love coffee cakes… this is a winner!

      Reply
    19. Nutmeg Nanny

      February 21, 2013 at 7:36 am

      It’s so heartbreaking when you read about other countries starving. I’m glad they are pushing for them to eat such a healthy and helpful vegetable. The cake looks wonderful. Such a perfect sweet use for sweet potatoes.

      Reply
    20. Marina

      February 21, 2013 at 7:20 am

      Wow, why are you showing me this?? Now I am dying to have a bite :)) Lovely blog!!

      Reply
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