Moist, warmly spiced sweet potato bread with pecans is a mouthwatering treat that tastes incredible with coffee or tea. Packed with toasted pecans and finished with a buttery cinnamon glaze, this sweet potato quick bread will be your go-to fall dessert!
If you are a pumpkin bread fan, you will swoon over this fluffy, moist sweet potato bread. Mashed sweet potato is baked into a warmly spiced loaf filled with toasted pecans to create the ultimate fall treat. A sweet cinnamon glaze is the perfect finishing touch to this irresistible loaf cake.
For more cozy fall desserts, check out our Southern sweet potato pie and maple pecan blondies recipes next!
Table of Contents
Important Ingredeint Notes
The detailed ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pecans. Chopped pecans are toasted for extra flavor and baked into the loaf. Check out our pecan pie cheesecake bars and pecan upside-down cake recipes next if you love pecans!
- Sweet potato. Mashed sweet potato adds delicious flavor and moisture to this recipe. Check out our southern sweet potato casserole next!
- Brown sugar. For rich, caramel-like sweetness and moisture. Either light or dark brown sugar works great.
- Oil. This quick bread is made with oil to keep it super moist. Neutral-flavored cooking oil like vegetable or canola oil works best.
- Sour cream. For subtle tanginess and added moisture. Trust me, don't skip this ingredient!
- Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract adds rich flavor to this quick bread.
- Flour. Good-quality all-purpose flour gives this loaf the perfect, fluffy texture.
- Spices. Warm, cozy spices including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg add rich flavor to this sweet potato bread. If you love warm spices, you don't want to miss our chewy chai cookies!
Variations and Substitutions
- Throw in some chocolate chips for extra decadence.
- Use pure canned pumpkin instead of mashed sweet potato to create spiced pumpkin bread.
- Try substituting walnuts for pecans for an earthy, nutty flavor.
- You may use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar for a lighter, more vanilla-like sweetness.
- Sweet potato bread can be made with melted and cooled butter instead of oil.
- Substitute pumpkin pie or apple pie spice if you don't have all the spices this recipe calls for. See how I use pumpkin pie spice in our pumpkin cream cold brew recipe!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Toast chopped pecans on a baking sheet for 7 minutes at 375°F and set aside. Lower oven temperature to 350°F. Spray a 9.5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
Step 3. Fold in the flour, baking soda, and spices until no more dry flour is visible.
Step 4. Fold in chopped pecans until combined.
Step 5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan.
Step 6. Whisk the cinnamon glaze in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled sweet potato bread and finish with more chopped toasted pecans.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend baking the sweet potatoes in the oven until tender. This allows the natural sugars in the sweet potato to caramelize for a richer flavor. Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork, bake for about 1 hour at 425°F, then cool completely before mashing. You can also peel, chop, and boil sweet potatoes in water for 15 to 20 minutes to cook them more quickly.
You may have overbaked your bread or added too much flour. Remove your loaf from the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no wet batter. Measure flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a knife.
Sweet potato bread is done when the top and edges are golden brown and the center is set. Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. When the toothpick comes out with no wet batter the loaf is done.
Yes! Whisk together 4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of warm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until thickened, and use it in place of the eggs. For a vegan glaze, omit the butter and use non-dairy milk to thin it.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
Make this spiced sweet potato loaf a day ahead of time and store it at room temperature until ready to serve. Leftover sweet potato bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
More Fall Desserts You Will Love!
If you tried this Spiced Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Spiced Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Bread
- 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- 1 cup light brown sugar - or dark
- ½ cup vegetable oil - or canola oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 larges eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour - spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted and cooled
- 2 - 4 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes until toasted. Set the pecans aside.
- Lower oven temperature to 350°F. Spray a 9 ½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to help remove the loaf after baking. Set the pan aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk sweet potato, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
- Fold in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and salt until no more dry flour is visible. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in 1 cup of the chopped and toasted pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no wet batter. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan.
- Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth, thick, and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled loaf then top with the remaining chopped pecans.
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, whisk 4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of warm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until thickened, and use it in place of the eggs. For a vegan glaze, omit the butter and use non-dairy milk to thin it.
- Leftover sweet potato bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Anb
The texture and flavors in this sweet potato cake are perfect! We will be making this throughout the fall.