Easy Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
Sweet, moist and delicious. These easy Sweet Potato Cupcakes with fluffy marshmallow frosting are the perfect fall treat! They include classic fall flavors and can be made in 30 minutes. Serve them at Thanksgiving or as dessert.
Thanksgiving is here and it’s officially root vegetable season – yay! I am always looking for new ways to spice up my fall menu so I decided to make these cupcakes instead of sweet potato pie and they went down amazingly.
Why this recipe works
These moist and tender fall cupcakes are a great choice because they call for classic easy-to-find ingredients and can be made in just 30 minutes!
Sweet potatoes are shredded similarly to how you would make carrot cake to achieve a fluffy texture. While eggs and olive oil add moisture. Adding cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon takes these festive cupcakes to the next level and the ultra-smooth marshmallow frosting compliments the cake perfectly.
Ingredient notes
- Sweet potatoes (peeled and shredded): This is the star ingredient in this dessert. Use ripe sweet potatoes for the best results and grate them evenly.
- Cinnamon: Adds sweet and spicy aromatic flavors to the cupcakes.
- Ground nutmeg: This is another popular fall spice that is nutty and warming.
- Ground cloves: Is subtly sweet and pairs well with cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Marshmallow creme: This is a sweet marshmallow-flavored paste used in desserts. For this recipe, marshmallow creme is combined with butter and sugar to make a tasty frosting
- Unsalted butter: Make sure that the unsalted butter is at room temperature before making the frosting.
Recipe variations
These holiday cupcakes can be topped with toasted marshmallows to make a tasty variation. Frost each cupcake with marshmallow icing and toast it using a blowtorch. If you don’t have a blowtorch then roast miniature marshmallows in the oven and combine them with unsalted butter and sugar to make toasted marshmallow frosting.
You can also frost these cupcakes with cream cheese frosting or vanilla frosting if you don’t have marshmallow creme to hand. Both taste just as good!
Sweet potato marshmallow cake is another delicious variation. Double the cake batter and bake it in a cake tin. Then double the marshmallow frosting and use it to decorate the cake for a larger dessert.
How to make sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow frosting
- Preheat oven: To 350 F then line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Prepare batter: Whisk dry ingredients together. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a bowl and set aside. Next, mix the wet ingredients. Add eggs, sweet potato, brown sugar, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla in a separate bowl. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Bake: Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Then, allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Beat butter, marshmallow creme, salt and vanilla until well combined. Then slowly add confectioners’ sugar until well incorporated. Mix in milk if necessary to achieve your desired consistency.
- Frost the cupcakes: Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with your preferred tip and frost the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with chopped pecans (optional).
Expert Tips
Make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature before baking and preparing the marshmallow frosting. This will ensure that the ingredients combine and emulsify properly and guarantee the best results.
It is important not to overmix the wet and dry ingredients together as gluten bonds will form which will result in chewy tough cupcakes. For the perfect batter, mix the ingredients until they are all combined.
Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven for the best results. Baking the cupcakes at the top of the oven can result in browning while baking cupcakes at the bottom can cause them to bake too slowly.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. If they are not cool then the frosting will melt!
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not tried this, but it should work. Wash and peel a sweet potato then bake or boil it until soft. Mash the sweet potato or blitz it in a food processor until smooth to make your own puree. Alternatively, you can use canned sweet potato puree instead. Try using about 3/4 cup of sweet potato puree instead of the shredded sweet potato.
Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Cupcakes will also keep at room temperature for a couple hours while serving.
Yes. Unfrosted cupcakes may be wrapped individually and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing them to room temperature and frosting.
It is likely that it has been over-mixed. To stiffen the frosting place the bowl back in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and mix again for 10 seconds.
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Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 2 large eggs,, slightly beaten
- 2 ½ cup (12 ounces or 340 grams) peeled, shredded, sweet potatoes*
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans for garnish, optional
Marshmallow Frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,, room temperature
- 1 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioners' sugar,, sifted
- 1-2 teaspoons milk, (if necessary)
Instructions
Sweet Potato Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), combine the eggs, shredded sweet potatoes, brown sugar, sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix until well blended, about 1 minute.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to stir together until just combined, about 20 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Spoon batter into prepared cupcake liners until about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
Marshmallow Frosting
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter, marshmallow creme, salt and vanilla. Mix until creamy, about 1 minute. Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add remaining one cup of confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached (I used 1 teaspoon).
- Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Frost cupcakes and garnish with chopped pecans (optional). Cupcakes are best when served the same day. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Notes
Inspired by The Recipe Critic.
