This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Okay, so spring. Blah blah, the weather sucks. Blah blah it is cold and I’m sick of it. Blah blah blah, when is it ever going to get nice out??? I know we are not alone here in Upstate NY – spring seems to have lost it’s way in a lot of the country this year, and everyone is complaining about it everywhere.
This week though, I am going to take advantage of this half-way season and bake up one of our favorite treats – Sweet Potato Quick Bread. From the photo, you might think this is pumpkin bread, or maybe my favorite cheat, some kind of winter squash bread, right? But no – this bread takes advantage of the fact that in very late winter, or very early spring, sweet potatoes are often at their best – in good winter storage, they just keep getting more flavorful and delicious. Match that up with warm spices and you have a perfect combination. In addition, I have changed up a few ingredients I might normally use for some healthier counterparts – and ended up with some ramped up flavors as well.
I made this last week, and when our older daughter, Ellyn and her family arrived on Thursday, we had the last loaf with our afternoon tea – it was gone in no time at all. When that happens, you know you have a winner. And it makes the cold weather a little easier to take too! 
Getting the sweet potato ready for this recipe is super easy – just bake an extra when you are making them for dinner – it takes one good sized, or two smaller sweet potatoes to end up with the cup called for in the recipe.
Sweet Potato Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 3 tablespoons dark molasses
- 1/3 cup raw sugar
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 fat free Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all purpose white flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Prepare 4 mini loaf pans, or 1 large loaf pan, by buttering very generously.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potato, coconut oil, molasses, sugar, eggs, yogurt and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the sweet potato mixture, until well combined.
- Fill the pans evenly and level the tops with a spoon.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes for the small pans, or about 50 minutes for a large one, turning pan half way through to bake evenly. There should still be a few moist crumbs sticking to a tester inserted near the center.
- Cool the loaves in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.
- Wrap leftovers tightly - this will keep at room temperature for a couple days, and much longer in the refrigerator.
- Serve with soft butter, or cream cheese - it is delicious toasted.
So, get yourself some sweet potatoes and enjoy this while you are waiting for spring to figure out where it is supposed to be!
Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes
Strawberry Cheese Coffee Cake
Irish Soda Bread
Chewy Chocolate Crinkles
Chai Zucchini Quick Bread
Zucchini Oat Bread
Cottage Cheese Dill Bread
Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Winter Squash Sandwich Bread
Double Apple Bourbon Cake
This loaf look absolutely delicious. I especially love the though of smearing it with cream cheese. YUM! I can’t wait to try the recipe 🙂
Thank you – cream cheese is so good on quick breads!
Same weather here in MI. I’ve been doing the same as you though, stay in and cook, bake, etc. At least that takes our mind off the weather! I have never heard of sweet potato bread but, it sounds and looks amazing. Very creative too 🙂
Thanks Suzie – we can wish for spring together!
I must try this. I’ve heard of sweet potato bread but haven’t made it nor even tasted it, Your lovely weather should arrive soon because it’s getting cold down here. I’m not to the point of having to wear shoes yet but the nights are getting really cool. I hope that helps. 🙂
I can’t wait till I can take my shoes off Maureen – it seems like no time at all ago, I was envying your spring, and now ours is finally getting here. [I think]
I made sweet potato bread and posted it last week! I was worried it was going to be too ‘fall’ themed but I didn’t care because it was so good! Glad to see you posting yours. Looks wonderful!
Thanks Averie – sweet potatoes actually taste better now than they did in the fall, so we are right on time!
Mmmm this bread is utterly delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks CCU – I appreciate it!
I do love how this makes use of the last of the sweet potatoes. No waste here – and delicious and comforting. We’re under a winter storm warning (????) so this bread is most comforting!
Thanks Claudia – I really do make an effort to keep waste to a minimum here – I use everything up!
I’m a HUGE sweet potato fan and this bread is awesome! I love the picture of loaf where we can see inside… so moist! Putting butter on the warm bread… ahh looks so good.
Thanks Nami – hope you give it a try!
What a delicious, nutritious quick bread! The slices look so yummy. Spring has finally arrived…we nearly hit 80º yesterday. But the nasty colder stuff is returning :/
ugh – sorry to hear that Liz – hoping spring finds all of us soon!
The texture of this looks really nice! I love vegetable breads-they’re so deliciously moist! 😀
I agree Lorraine – it is one of things I love about them 😉
This bread looks amazing!
In Italy sweet potatoes are uncommon, but I’d love to give it a try!
Giulietta – maybe they are called yams there? Yams would work, I am sure.
Love sweet potatoes and can imagine how delicious your bread must taste 🙂 So flavorful with all those spices and love that you’ve added greek yoghurt :)Yumm…
Thank you Soni – Greek yogurt is wonderful in baking!
This bread looks delicious and moist! A wonderful treat.
Cheers,
Rosa
Haha, that’s how we’re all feeling about this crazy weather. So instead of finding comfort in the non-existent sunshine I’ll find it in a slice of your bread. It sounds delicious and the color is just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing Donalyn:)
Oh yum (especially that last shot!) I wish I had a slice (or a loaf) in front of me now. The weather has been making me grumpy…I need to pour some of that energy into baking! Thank you for sharing!
It’s been ages since I’ve had sweet potato bread, and it’s excellent stuff. And you’re right that this is a great time of the year to eat sweet potatoes. Really nice recipe, good post – thanks so much.
I have discovered sweet potato only recently, but I love it and after several more or less successful experiments I understood that good recipes are crucial to make the most of this wonderful vegetable. Your bread looks absolutely fabulous. I had no idea it was sweet potatoes season!
This sounds amazing! I’m trying to stay away from white flour, do you think it would taste ok if I used 2 cups of whole wheat instead of 1 cup of each?
Hi Lisa – it will work, though the texture is going to be a little denser. I think I would pull it out of the oven a minute or two sooner as well, since whole wheat flour tends to make things a little drier. And please, come back to tell me how it worked for you, so other readers can benefit from your experience.
I definitely will, can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
Donalyn,
I want to make this into a muffin. It looks delicious! My mom saw my yellow label molasses in the pantry and told me to get green label next time (both are same brand, so it’s a different type of molasses) but in the meantime, I happen to have everything but the coconut oil and I can sub for that.
Thanks!
Love a quick and easy bread recipe. And all the yummyness here with sweet potatoes 🙂