Okay, you may be thinking the same thing as I was when I first heard of these cupcakes – ew, sweet potato cupcakes?! Gross! I initially saved the recipe because I knew that Ben likes sweet potatoes and I thought he might enjoy these. Since I had never been a sweet potato fan, I figured I would be making these just for him. But since making countless batches of sweet potato baby food, and these baked sweet potato fries, I decided to give them a chance. After all, it’s still cake – how bad can it be? Turns out, not bad at all. In fact, very good! The sweet potato flavor is definitely there, but not overwhelming, and with the usual fall spices, this reminded me very much of a pumpkin or carrot cake.
My friend Shanon came over for a fun baking day, and we whipped up these cupcakes together. They were not at all difficult to make. You could use the canned sweet potato puree, but I opted to make my own because I think it is more flavorful. If you decide to do this, keep in mind that the weight of the potatoes after baking will be significantly less than before baking due to evaporation of water as steam, so you want to start out with more than 17 oz. of potatoes. (I used two large sweet potatoes, and it was just barely enough.) I didn’t get around to trying it this time, but I think a little sprinkle of brown sugar on top of the marshmallow frosting would also look great. These would be a wonderful unique dessert to add to your Thanksgiving spread, or an alternative way to incorporate sweet potatoes into your meal other than the traditional forms. Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
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Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
17 oz. sweet potato puree
½ tsp. vanilla extract
For the frosting:
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir together with a fork and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in the sweet potatoes and vanilla extract, beating just until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I just set my clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water, to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Brown with a kitchen torch and garnish with a sprinkle of brown sugar, if desired.
Source: cupcakes from Better Homes and Gardens, frosting adapted from Lovin’ From the Oven
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