Purple Sweet Potato Loaf Recipe

Cook potatoes

If you don't have pre-made purée, scrub 1 lb purple sweet potatoes. Cut into 1–2 inch chunks to speed cooking. Place in a pot with ~1 cup water, cover, and simmer/steam until fork-tender, about 12–18 minutes depending on chunk size. Drain any excess water.

Mash to purée

While still hot, mash the cooked potato pieces thoroughly with a potato masher or pass through a fine sieve to yield a smooth purée. Measure 1 cup and allow to cool slightly before using (warm is fine; not boiling).

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan lightly and line with parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal, or dust with flour after greasing.

Combine dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, 0.5 tsp fine salt, 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon, and 0.25 tsp ground ginger until evenly distributed.

Combine wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup purple sweet potato purée until smooth. Add 2 eggs and whisk until incorporated. Whisk in 0.5 cup vegetable oil, 0.25 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp lemon zest (if using) until the mixture is homogeneous.

Mix wet and dry

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions, gently folding with a spatula after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix; stop when no streaks of flour remain.

Add mix-ins

Fold in 0.5 cup chopped walnuts (if using) and 0.25 cup dried cranberries (if using). Reserve a tablespoon of nuts and/or cranberries to sprinkle on top if desired.

Fill pan

Spoon the batter into the prepared 9x5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle reserved nuts/cranberries and 1 tbsp turbinado sugar over the top if using.

Bake

Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 45–60 minutes. Start checking at 40 minutes: the loaf is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter) and the top is lightly golden. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after ~30 minutes.

Cool

Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf from the pan and transfer it to the rack to cool completely (at least 45 minutes) before slicing to get clean slices.

Serve & store

Slice and serve at room temperature or lightly toasted. Store leftover loaf wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Freeze slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months.