Introduction

Oh, you guys! There are some recipes that just feel like a warm hug, and this Ginger-Spiced Purple Sweet Potato Bread is absolutely one of them. Remember those cozy afternoons when the scent of baking filled the kitchen, making everything feel a little bit brighter? This bread brings all that goodness back, with a beautiful, vibrant twist! It’s incredibly simple to whip up, making it perfect for those days you crave something homemade without a fuss.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: From mixing bowl to oven in under 15 minutes!
Easy: Seriously, if you can stir, you can make this bread.
Giftable: Wrap it up with a pretty ribbon – it’s a thoughtful homemade gift.
Crowd-pleasing: The unique color and comforting flavors are a hit with everyone.

Ingredients

Let’s gather our goodies! Don’t worry, they’re all pretty standard kitchen staples, with the star being that gorgeous purple sweet potato.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour: The foundation of our delicious bread.
1 teaspoon baking powder: To give our loaf a lovely lift.
½ teaspoon baking soda: Works with the sweet potato for a tender crumb.
½ teaspoon salt: Just a pinch to enhance all those wonderful flavors.
1 teaspoon ground ginger: For that warm, zesty kick we all love.
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon: The classic spice that makes everything feel like home.
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom: A little bit of magic for an unexpected, delightful aroma.
1 ½ cups mashed purple sweet potatoes: This is where the magic happens! Make sure they’re cooked until super soft and mashed.
½ cup packed brown sugar: Adds a lovely caramel sweetness.
2 large eggs: Our binder, making everything come together beautifully.
½ cup full-fat coconut milk: For richness and a wonderfully moist texture.
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil): Use what you have on hand; both work beautifully.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract: The sweet essence that rounds out all the flavors.
Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or white chocolate chips: For a little extra texture and fun!

How to Make It

Ready to get baking? It’s truly as simple as whisk, mix, and bake!

Get Ready: First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While it’s warming up, grab a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Give it a good grease and flour so our beautiful bread doesn’t stick.
Dry Ingredients Unite: In a nice, big bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and that little pinch of cardamom. Give it a good whisk so everything is evenly distributed.
Wet Ingredients Together: In a separate bowl, combine the mashed purple sweet potatoes, packed brown sugar, your two large eggs, the creamy coconut milk, your melted butter (or coconut oil), and that lovely vanilla extract. Mix it all up until it’s nice and smooth.
Combine & Gently Mix: Now, pour those wonderful wet ingredients into the bowl with your dry ingredients. Stir them together until they are just combined. I can’t stress this enough: don’t overmix! A few little lumps are totally okay. Overmixing can make your bread tough.
Add Your Extras (If You’re Feeling Fancy!): If you decided to add nuts, shredded coconut, or white chocolate chips, gently fold them into the batter now. Treat them kindly!
Into the Pan: Pour your gorgeous purple batter into your prepared loaf pan. Smooth out the top a little.
Bake Away: Pop that pan into your preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a wooden skewer or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Down: Once it’s out of the oven, let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This helps it set. Then, carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is a virtue here, my friends – it tastes so much better when it’s not piping hot!

Substitutions & Additions

This recipe is fantastic as is, but you know me, I love to play around! Here are a few ideas:

Sweetness Adjustment: If you prefer a less sweet bread, you can reduce the brown sugar by a tablespoon or two.
Dairy-Free Delight: The coconut milk makes it naturally dairy-free, and using coconut oil instead of butter keeps it completely plant-based.
Spice It Up: Feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg or a tiny bit of allspice for even more warmth.
Citrus Zest: A teaspoon of orange or lemon zest would be a lovely bright addition!
Glaze It: Once cooled, a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a little milk or lemon juice would be divine.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks to ensure your purple sweet potato bread turns out perfectly every time:

Mashing Matters: For the smoothest batter, ensure your purple sweet potatoes are mashed really well. You can even push them through a sieve if you want to be extra sure there are no lumps.
Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Don’t scoop directly from the bag, as this can lead to too much flour and a dry bread.
Don’t Overbake: Keep an eye on your bread towards the end of the baking time. Ovens can vary!
Prep Ahead: You can cook and mash your purple sweet potatoes a day or two in advance and store them in the refrigerator.
Room Temperature Eggs: While not strictly necessary here, room temperature eggs tend to incorporate better into batters.

How to Store It

This bread is a delight to have around. Store it at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 3-4 days. It also freezes beautifully! Once completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Q: Can I use regular sweet potatoes instead of purple ones?
A: Yes, you absolutely can! The flavor will be similar, but you won’t get that stunning purple hue.
Q: How do I cook purple sweet potatoes for mashing?
A: You can bake them until tender (about 45-60 minutes at 400°F/200°C), or boil/steam them until fork-tender. Once cooked, let them cool slightly before peeling and mashing.
Q: My bread looks a bit dense. What might have gone wrong?
A: The most common culprit is overmixing the batter. Remember to just mix until the ingredients are combined. Also, ensure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh!

Ginger-Spiced Purple Sweet Potato Bread

A wholesome and wonderful bread recipe with a vibrant purple hue and warm ginger spice. It's easy to make, perfect for gifting, and a crowd-pleaser.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Equipment

Loaf pan 9x5 inch
Mixing bowl large
Mixing bowl separate
Whisk
Wooden skewer or toothpick
Wire rack

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1.75 cups all-purpose flour The foundation of our delicious bread.
1 teaspoon baking powder To give our loaf a lovely lift.
0.5 teaspoon baking soda Works with the sweet potato for a tender crumb.
0.5 teaspoon salt Just a pinch to enhance all those wonderful flavors.
1 teaspoon ground ginger For that warm, zesty kick we all love.
0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon The classic spice that makes everything feel like home.
0.25 teaspoon ground cardamom A little bit of magic for an unexpected, delightful aroma.

Wet Ingredients

1.5 cups mashed purple sweet potatoes Make sure they're cooked until super soft and mashed.
0.5 cup packed brown sugar Adds a lovely caramel sweetness.
2 large eggs Our binder, making everything come together beautifully.
0.5 cup full-fat coconut milk For richness and a wonderfully moist texture.
0.25 cup unsalted butter, melted or coconut oil. Use what you have on hand; both work beautifully.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract The sweet essence that rounds out all the flavors.

Optional Additions

0.5 cup chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or white chocolate chips For a little extra texture and fun!

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and cardamom.
1.75 cups all-purpose flour
In a separate bowl, combine mashed purple sweet potatoes, brown sugar, eggs, coconut milk, melted butter (or coconut oil), and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
1.75 cups all-purpose flour
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
1.75 cups all-purpose flour
Gently fold in any optional additions like nuts, shredded coconut, or white chocolate chips.
1.75 cups all-purpose flour
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 3-4 days. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.