Cakey Sweet Potato Bars are cake-type bar cookies made with canned sweet potatoes, chocolate chips and pecans. They're a lot like pumpkin bars, but have a slightly different flavor from the sweet potatoes. They're also a little sweeter and don't need any sort of icing.
What Kind of Sweet Potatoes to Use
When I first made these, I used a brand of canned sweet potatoes called Sugary Sam's and called them Sugary Sam Bars. I've changed the name to one that's a little more descriptive. Plus you can certainly use any brand of canned sweet potatoes. The level of sweetness might vary a tiny bit between brands, but I doubt it would make much of a difference. Using fresh baked mashed sweet potatoes is a different story. They'll probably work, but the bars will be less sweet. If you try them with fresh, let me know.
Cakey Sweet Potato Bars Pan Size
This recipe calls for a 9 inch square pan. If you make them in an 8 inch square pan they'll be thicker and more like a coffee cake, which might not be so bad! If you want to use the full can of sweet potatoes, you can double the recipe and bake in a 15x10 inch pan.
Sweet Potato Quick Bread
If you're thinking you'd rather use your cup of mashed potatoes in something else, I recommend this Sweet Potato Bread baked in a loaf pan.
Recipe
Cakey Sweet Potato Bars
Equipment
- 9 inch pan
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ of a 15.5 oz can about a cup of Sugar Sam’s Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon grated orange peel optional
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 4.5 oz
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels
- ⅓ cup toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch metal pan.
- Whisk oil, sugar and egg together in a medium bowl. Add sweet potatoes, vanilla and orange peel and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Stir in baking, salt and cinnamon, then when thoroughly mixed, add flour, chocolate chips and nuts. Stir just until flour is mixed in. Pour into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
Anna says
Sara, I'm glad yours were moist. I wonder if ramping up the cinnamon & nutmeg would have helped? Also, I totally get what you mean about preferring a rich dessert over a semi-healthy one and trying to keep snacks healthy. What surprised me was I found the original (higher oil version) satisfying enough for a dessert. I wasn't expecting that, but it was really good. I'll have to try the Samoa Bars when Girl Scout cookie season ends.
Sara says
I'm sure it was my changes that made them a little bland (still very moist though) - I like to make one or two richer, dessert-y type items to have for the week (like your giant choc chip cookies), but also a healthier bar to have as afternoon snacks. These I made for the healthy snack, hence as the substitutions. I generally wouldn't make a cakey bar for a dessert because I'd rather have a cookie or fudgy brownie - or the samoa bars from Baking bites, have you tried those? Amazing.
For the healthy snack though, the healthy version of these bars is very good, plus lower calorie with some protein and fiber! I think the pumpkin version would benefit from some pumpkin pie spices in addition to the cinnamon - ginger, nutmeg, etc. Thanks for the recipe!
Stephanie says
I'm not too big on sweet potatoes, but these look great!!!!
PS: I've added you to my blogroll <3
giz says
Such great flavour packed in there - Ina move over, there's a new girl in town!!!
Katrina says
These look great to me and I really want to try them. Have never heard of Sugar Sam's sweet potatoes. Any brand would probably do?? Or is there something "special" about Sam's?
Anna says
Pumpkin is probably milder and applesauce doesn't carry flavor like actual fat. Mine were moist and very flavorful. If you get a chance and have the ingredients, I would love to hear what you think of the recipe as written. At least we know your husband will eat them. Lol. Seriously, I wish you'd try again because they are really good when made as written above. Let me know if you do!
Sara says
I made these today with canned pumpkin - my husband liked them a lot but I thought they were OK/a little bland - probably because I healthified them with applesauce for oil sub, white wheat flour, used half splenda/half dark brown sugar, and 1/4 cup each mini choc chips and walnuts 🙂
bakingblonde says
This is a very interesting bar recipe, it looks so moist and delicious. I bet the pecans and sweet potatoes make a winning flavor combo!
Sugar Duchess says
Oh my, these look delicious! And the sweet potatoes make them totally healthy, right? 🙂 I'll have to try these out.
Anna says
Hi Robin,
I'm not sure where you live, but in Austin there's a place on Burnet Road called Knife Sharpest. They specialize in knives. If you don't live in Austin, you should do a search on Google and see what you can come up with.
Robin says
Can you please tell me where to go to get knives sharpened? I have no idea where to even start looking.
dawn says
I can believe these tasted so good. Did you have a look at what I did with sweet potatoes and cheese? Come look, I think you'll dig it.
snooky doodle says
this looks delicious ! Pity I don't find sweet potatoes here 🙁
Katrina says
Ooh, I know, make them using xylitol! That sounds good! 😉
Really, the bars look great. And you know I WOULD do healthier alternatives, wheat flour, maybe agave....they do look like no icing is necessary and/or that they would be great WITH an icing.
VeggieGirl says
Yum!!
lisa (dandysugar) says
WOw, these sounds really delicious. I think pumpkin would be great in this recipe too!
Jennifer says
Fabulous!!! Reminds me of bars my grandmother used to make 🙂
Carol A, says
Yum, these sound good. I never buy canned sweet potatoes, I wonder if baked fresh sweet potatoes would work? Or Kathy's idea about pumpkin, I do always have that on hand for muffins. Course then they'd be pumpkin bars 🙂 which still sounds good to me!
Sam says
Anything called a Sam bar I have got to try out!! 😉
Kathy says
I wonder if these would work with canned pumpkin?
Louise says
These look really good. With sweet taters, pecans, and chocolate chips. I can picture a little cream cheese frosting, but that would make them a mess to pack. Yum!!!