Sweet Potato Cakes: Crispy Cornmeal Fritters by Cookinwithbabe

Name: Sweet Potato Cakes: Crispy Cornmeal Fritters
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 mashed sweet potatoes; 1/2 cup club soda; 1 large egg; 2 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; pinch salt; oil for frying

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Author

Cookinwithbabe

I started my food vlogging journey in 2024, when I decided it was time to share my love of cooking with folks near and far. I grew up learning the ins and outs of the kitchen from my grandparents and my mama — they taught me that a good meal can bring people together like nothing else. Now, I’m proud to carry on their passion and share those same comforting flavors with y’all.

Want to see more of my creations?

Tell Google you want to see more of my creations in your search results.

Sweet Potato Cakes: Crispy Cornmeal Fritters These sweet potato cakes begin with mashed sweet potatoes folded into a batter of self-rising cornmeal mix, flour, club soda, egg, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Spoonfuls of the rested batter are fried in a shallow layer of oil, then gently flattened into individual cakes.

More recipes from Cookinwithbabe that you'll love

Watch How to Make It

The recipe gives each side approximately 3 to 4 minutes in the skillet. The cakes are ready when they are golden brown and cooked through.

A person adding a spoonful of spice into a glass mixing bowl containing flour, cinnamon, and chunks of pumpkin.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This is a direct batter-and-fry recipe with a short, defined sequence: combine the batter ingredients, let the batter rest, heat the oil, and fry the cakes on both sides. The shaping happens in the skillet, so each spoonful is flattened after it is dropped into the hot oil.

Sweet potato, sugar, and cinnamon are included in the same batter as the cornmeal mix and flour. Club soda and egg are also mixed in before the 10-minute rest, keeping all of the batter preparation together before frying begins.

A person uses a potato masher to mash baked sweet potatoes in a glass bowl.

The recipe uses about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet and specifies a frying temperature of 350°F. Following the stated temperature and per-side frying time keeps the process aligned with the recipe’s golden-brown, cooked-through finish.

Ingredients You'll Need

The batter is made with 1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 mashed sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup club soda, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Oil is kept separate because it is used for frying rather than mixed into the batter.

Have the sweet potatoes mashed before combining the ingredients. This allows the cornmeal mix, flour, mashed sweet potatoes, club soda, egg, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to be mixed together in one step.

A person pours sugar from a measuring cup into a glass bowl containing cereal and other ingredients.

The skillet is the cooking vessel for this recipe. It should hold about 1/2 inch of oil, heated to 350°F before the batter is added.

Hands cracking an egg into a glass bowl containing flour, spices, and other ingredients.

How To Make It

Mix the self-rising cornmeal mix, all-purpose flour, mashed sweet potatoes, club soda, egg, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Do not add the frying oil to the batter.

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Use this resting time before heating the skillet oil and frying the cakes.

A persons hand holds a glass bowl containing two cooked sweet potatoes.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet to 350°F. Once the oil reaches temperature, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil.

A person uses a spoon to place a seasoned food patty into a cast iron skillet sitting on an induction cooktop.

Gently flatten the spoonfuls into cakes in the skillet. Fry them for approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning as needed so both sides fry until golden brown and the cakes are cooked through.

Serving & Variations

The recipe finishes with the cakes fried until golden brown and cooked through. It does not specify a topping, dip, side dish, or additional finishing ingredient.

No variations are included in the recipe. To keep the cakes consistent with the stated method, use spoonfuls of batter, gently flatten them in the oil, and fry at 350°F for the given 3- to 4-minute range per side.

A hand uses a white measuring spoon to pour sugar into a glass mixing bowl containing other ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should the batter rest before frying?

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before frying.

What temperature should the oil be for frying Sweet Potato Cakes?

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet to 350F.

How long do Sweet Potato Cakes fry?

Fry the cakes for approximately 3-4 minutes per side.

How do I shape the Sweet Potato Cakes in the skillet?

Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and gently flatten them into cakes.

How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 8 servings.

Wrapping Up

These sweet potato cakes use a rested cornmeal-and-sweet-potato batter and a skillet-frying method. The recipe’s key points are to keep the oil out of the batter, rest the mixed batter for 10 minutes, heat about 1/2 inch of oil to 350°F, and fry each flattened cake until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe created by Cookinwithbabe for Trust Me Try It.

Even more from Cookinwithbabe