With all of the pumpkin overload that happens during the Fall season, it is time to give you a sweet alternative. A sweet potato one! These sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow buttercream bring sweet potatoes out of that pumpkin shadow for a well deserved moment in the Thanksgiving spotlight.
Sweet, lightly spiced, and full of freshly roasted sweet potatoes, these showstopping cupcakes are finished off with a cool and fluffy marshmallow buttercream frosting. You’ll be in dessert bliss. They’re just that good!
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Sweet Potatoes
Did you guys know that sweet potatoes are actually more hearty than pumpkin and some may even say they taste better too? I’m sure it has a lot to do with the fact that sweet potatoes are full of sugar, fiber, and protein. Also, they have a ton of Vitamin A. Want to see an actual face off between pumpkin and sweet potatoes? I thought you might! Check this out, Which Is Healthier: Sweet Potato Or Pumpkin?
Sweet potatoes have that smooth, sweet taste that makes for a killer dessert like these sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow buttercream. Furthermore, they are much easier to roast and puree than a sugar pumpkin. I love pumpkin! Trust me, after finishing, Ritzy Mom Pumpkin Treats & Tonics, I may even be a pumpkin expert now! But after perfecting 36 recipes of pure pumpkin, I am ready for to take on other Fall flavors!
If you’re really feeling daring and ready to skip pumpkin pie altogether this year, try making a dessert table complete with some of these other delicious and alternative desserts, Spiced Apple Pie, Butter Pecan Cake, Butternut Squash Bread Pudding & Bourbon Cranberry Sauce.
Also, my Eggnog Creme Brulee was recently a Thanksgiving dessert finalist in a local St. Louis newspaper!
Roasting Sweet Potatoes
These sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow frosting are chock full of roasted sweet potatoes. So the first step of this recipe is to roast your sweet potatoes. Using freshly roasted sweet potato puree will infuse these cupcakes with flavor. The puree also gives them a tender, soft, and moist texture.
All you have to do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take two small sweet potatoes and pierce them with a fork a few times. Then just bake on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes. The skin will wrinkle and they will be soft throughout.
Then allow these sweet potatoes to cool for at least 45 minutes before peeling and pureeing using a Food Processor.
Reserve 3/4 cup of the puree for your sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow frosting. If there is any purée leftover, try them in place of pumpkin in my Pumpkin Brownies!
Sweet Potato Cupcakes
Sweet potato cupcakes are the type of sweet treat that will have you waiting by the oven door until the baking is done. They are fragrant and beckoning. These are my favorite cupcakes of all time!
While these cupcakes don’t have any pumpkin or pumpkin spice, they still have that scents and flavors you need for that Fall baking feeling!
A bit of cinnamon and just a hint of other baking spices make them warm, inviting, and reminiscent of a sweet potato pie in cupcake form.
To Make The Sweet Potato Cupcakes
Use all room temperature ingredients. First, have the oven preheated to 350 degrees and line 12 cupcake tins.
Then use a stand or hand mixer to cream your butter and sugars until fluffy. Go at medium speed.
Scrape the bowl before adding the egg and egg yolk, along with the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk up your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
Turn your mixer to “stir” and gradually add half of flour mixture.
Then add the sweet potato purée. Next, drizzle in the buttercream.
Add in the rest of the flour mixture.
Then divide into 12 cupcake tins. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, using a toothpick to check.
Allow to cool completely before frosting with the marshmallow buttercream.
Marshmallow Buttercream
Meanwhile, whip up your buttercream per recipe instructions. Use the whisk attachment of your mixer for the fluffiest frosting.
There is debate about which is a better topping for sweet potato side dishes. I’m all about toasty marshmallows, and so is the rest of my family! So these sweet potato cupcakes were meant to be frosted with the fluffiest and most marshmallow packed buttercream. Taking a bite into these sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow buttercream is like sinking into a cool, creamy cloud!
The buttercream is made of marshmallow fluff, along with the usual ingredients of a vanilla buttercream. Then a touch of salt and a splash of tangy buttermilk mellow out the sweetness of the marshmallows and powdered sugar.
If you’re feeling extra snazzy, drizzle on a bit of Bourbon Salted Caramel.
You are going to love these sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow buttercream so much! Make sure to tag me in the photos of your cupcakes for a chance to be featured in my stories or feed on my Instagram.
Happy Holidays!
Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream
Real roasted and pureed sweet potatoes, a hint of warm spices, and brown sugar make these fragrant and sweet cupcakes an ideal dessert for Thanksgiving and Fall gatherings. Cool marshmallow buttercream makes this a cupcake take on the beloved sweet potato casserole!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/8 cup AP Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch allspice
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/8 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup pureed sweet potatoes
Marshmallow Buttercream
- 1 jar marshmallow fluff 7 oz.
- 1 cup butter
- 2.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
First, make your sweet potato puree. Take 2 small sweet potatoes and put them on a baking sheet. Pierce with a fork on all sides. Roast for approx. 45 minutes, until they are shriveling and cooked throughout. Allow them to cool for at least 30 minutes before peeling. Then use a blender or food processor to puree them. Set aside 3/4 cup of this puree for the cupcakes.
Line 12 Cupcake tins and have oven at 350 degrees.
1. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars for 2 minutes.
2. Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla and cream for 1 minute more.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
4. Turn mixer to “stir”. Add in half of the flour mixture.
5. Add sweet potato puree and while it is mixing, drizzle in the buttermilk.
6. Add the remaining flour mixture.
7. Use a cupcake or ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake tins. If you make smaller cupcakes, you can make up to 14 cupcakes.
8. Bake approximately 25 minutes. Check with a toothpick for moist crumbs before removing from oven.
9. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For Marshmallow buttercream
1. In a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk butter and marshmallow fluff until fluffy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar (turn mixer to low until it starts to come together so it doesn’t fly all over!)
3. Then add you vanilla extract and put in buttermilk a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
4. Add salt during final whisking, if desired, to offset the sweetness.
5. Frost cupcakes.
Recipe Notes
This can also make 1 8 or 9 inch cake round.
You can double this recipe for a layer cake or to make 24 cupcakes.
Yes, of course you can add splash of bourbon when you add your vanilla extract!
And yes, feel free to top this with a drizzle of salted caramel!
Tools For These Sweet Potato Cupcakes With Marshmallow Buttercream
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