Easy Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
Sweet, moist, and absolutely irresistible, these sweet potato cupcakes are fall in cupcake form! Topped with a fluffy marshmallow frosting, they’re packed with cozy seasonal flavor and come together in just 30 minutes. Perfect for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or anytime you’re craving a festive little treat.
These sweet potato cupcakes were born out of my love for all things fall and Thanksgiving baking. I made these instead of sweet potato pie this year, and they were a hit! They’re such a fun twist on the classic and feature cozy, spiced flavors in a new, delicious way.
What I love most about this recipe is how simple and reliable it is. The cupcakes come together in just 30 minutes using basic, easy-to-find ingredients, just like my sweet potato waffles. Shredded sweet potatoes give them a light, fluffy texture similar to carrot cake, while eggs and olive oil keep them extra moist. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves bring in that cozy fall flavor, and the fluffy marshmallow frosting takes them completely over the top.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A fun holiday swap. Instead of going the usual sweet potato pie route, these cupcakes bring something a little different to the table this year.
- That “one more bite” texture: They’re soft and light, but still rich enough that you keep coming back for another bite.
- The frosting is irresistible. It’s sweet, fluffy, and adds a melt-in-your-mouth finish that makes these a major favorite.
- The kind of recipe you’ll repeat. Simple enough for a regular weekend bake, but good enough to bring out for holidays and gatherings too.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes: The star of the recipe, adding natural sweetness, moisture, and wonderful fall flavor. Use ripe sweet potatoes for the best results and grate them evenly.
- Flour, baking powder & baking soda: The base of the batter that gives structure and helps the cupcakes rise into soft, tender bites.
- Warm spices: A blend cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves add just enough spice to make these feel festive without overpowering the sweetness.
- Eggs & oil: These work together to create a rich, moist texture while keeping the cupcakes soft and tender.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter and balances the earthy flavor of the sweet potatoes.
- Marshmallow frosting: Marshmallow creme is mixed with butter and powdered sugar for a frosting that melts in your mouth with every bite.
Refer to the recipe card for the ingredient measurements and details.
Recipe Variations
Toasted marshmallow topping. Frost each cupcake with marshmallow icing, then lightly toast the tops with a kitchen torch for a golden, campfire-style finish. No torch? You can also roast miniature marshmallows in the oven and combine them with unsalted butter and sugar to make toasted marshmallow frosting.
Different frosting options. If marshmallow creme isn’t on hand, these cupcakes are just as delicious with cream cheese frosting or classic vanilla buttercream for a slightly different (but equally tasty) flavor option.
Make it a layer cake. Turn this recipe into a sweet potato marshmallow cake by doubling the batter and baking it in a cake pan. Double the frosting as well for a taller, bakery-style dessert that’s perfect for gatherings.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cupcakes
- 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.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Then, allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- To 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.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with your preferred tip and frost the cooled cupcakes. If you’d like, garnish with chopped pecans.
Expert Tips
Bring ingredients to room temperature. Make sure eggs and butter are at room temperature before baking and making the frosting. This helps everything blend smoothly and creates a better, more consistent batter and frosting.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Overmixing can develop too much gluten, leading to dense or tough cupcakes instead of light and tender ones.
Bake in the center of the oven. For even baking, place the cupcakes in the middle rack. Too high and they may brown too quickly; too low and they can bake unevenly or too slowly.
Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. This step is key, frosting warm cupcakes will cause it to melt and slide off instead of holding its fluffy shape.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If serving the same day, they can sit at room temperature for several hours.
To freeze, wrap unfrosted or frosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the frosting separately. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
To make ahead, bake the cupcakes and prepare the frosting up to 2 days in advance, storing them separately in the refrigerator. Wait to frost until just before serving for the freshest results. For best texture, make the batter right before baking rather than preparing it ahead of time.
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.
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.
This can happen for several reasons. The cupcakes may have been underbaked, the oven temperature may have been too high causing them to rise and collapse, or your baking soda may no longer be fresh enough to provide proper lift.
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Get the Recipe: 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.
15 Comments on “Easy Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting”
I absolutely love the idea of Sweet Potatoes in a cupcake. The photos are so inviting, please pack some for me 😉
Thank you, Sapna!
marshmallow frosting has got to be the PERFECT topping for these cupcakes. I love this. Perhaps since it has sweet potato in it I can have it for breakfast ….. doesn’t that count??
I say, yes! Cupcakes for breakfast 🙂
These are so cute! The would be great for Thanksgiving as you mention or as dessert for a fall harvest celebration. And what a great way to use sweet potatoes!
Fall harvest celebration is perfect for these cookies!
I love using sweet potatoes in place of pumpkin! and mini anything tastes better, right?! 😉
These look delicious! I gotta try this marshmallow frosting that sounds really good. Do you think it would it char the same as a marshmallow, if you took a torch to it?
Delicious. Perfect for the up and coming holidays and perfect to hide a vegetable from kids.
sweet potato and cupcakes are two of my favourite things, so I love that you have combined them. YUM!
My kids and I had so much fun making these! They were soft and fluffy, just the perfect treat we needed for the fall season!! Great recipe – thank you!
Such beautiful cupcakes! They look absolutely incredible topped with that marshmallow frosting and the chopped pecans. Definitely perfect for the season. Yum!
Love these photos and the cupcakes look absolutely delicious! The marshmallow frosting sounds unreal, saving this one for sure!
This is so brilliant! I’ve always used mashed sweet potatoes in my recipes and here you go doing this clever thing of using shredded sweet potatoes. That makes things so much easier and quicker. Great recipe!