Forget the casserole and go straight for dessert! These moist, spiced Sweet Potato Cupcakes are topped with a marshmallow frosting, and then toasted to give them that familiar Thanksgiving flavor.
I love a good cupcake as a holiday dessert! For more, you can also check out these Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting or these Caramel Apple Cupcakes.
These cupcakes – well, they just may very well be my very favorite cupcakes ever. I’m not even kidding you. I made them for my husband to take to work for a potluck, and he told me that they had to end up going to the store to buy cupcakes because the team leaders spotted the cupcakes before lunch and ended up eating almost all of them. I passed some of them off to two of my sisters, and both of them called me, raving over them. And let’s just say I’m glad that I didn’t have all of them at home, because I probably would have eaten them. I won’t even tell you how many I did eat!!
These are the perfect holiday cupcake, as well. What says Thanksgiving more than sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows? Well, as much as I love sweet potato casserole, I think I’ll be grabbing for one of these instead. 🙂
The Cupcakes
These cupcakes are similar to a pumpkin cupcake, but made with sweet potatoes instead. You will need cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, and these can be made ahead of time. The easiest way to do this is by baking the potatoes, then mashing after baked.
The Frosting
This frosting is based off of my favorite childhood frosting. It is made from whipping egg whites, then slowly adding in a hot sugar syrup which turns it all into a delicious marshmallow frosting. And I love the addition of toasting the frosting. I used a kitchen torch.
More Holiday Desserts
Pilgrim Hat Thanksgiving Cupcakes
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie
Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallow Meringue
Pumpkin Roll
Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cups milk
Marshmallow Frosting
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 30 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Beat in the vanilla and then the sweet potatoes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and cloves. Mix half of the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture, followed by the milk, then the remaining flour.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Transfer to the oven and bake until the center springs back when touched, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the frosting
- In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Meanwhile, heat the sugar and corn syrup over medium heat. Heat until it comes to a full boil, then remove from the heat.
- Once the egg whites are stiff, slowly pour in the hot sugar mixture. Do not scrape the sides of the bowl, or you will have sugar crystals in the frosting. Beat the frosting until it forms a shiny, fluffy marshmallow frosting, 5-7 minutes.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Use a kitchen torch to toast the frosting.
Holly says
I can’t wait to make these! How do you store them and how long will they keep?
Deborah says
You can make the cupcakes up to 2 days in advance. I wouldn’t add the frosting until the day of, though. It will lose its texture if it is longer than that.
Karen Crawford says
Thank you so much for the info!!! I think the cupcakes taste amazing and I’m going to start the frosting in a few minutes!!!
Karen Crawford says
Hi! Just trying out your recipe and the cupcakes look great! My question is when do you add the vanilla in the frosting? Before you whip the whites, after you whip but before you add sugar sauce or after you add sugar sauce and the beat again? Thanks!
Deborah says
Oops – can’t believe I missed that! I will correct the recipe shortly, but you will add the vanilla last, after it is shiny and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for a few more seconds to incorporate it. Thanks for catching that, and sorry! 🙂
Van says
I just made this with a few changes…
* added 1/2 can of pumpkin
* left out cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
* used 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 sugar in the raw
* made without the frosting
* baked it in a bundt pan
My husband and children said it was the most delicious cake they had ever eaten. (And we bake a lot.)
It was sooooo moist and delicious. This will be our new Thanksgiving dessert.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Deborah says
I love the sound of your substitutions – especially that you made it in a bundt pan! Glad it worked out so well for you!!
Lily says
How do you cook the sweet potatoes??
Deborah says
I usually bake them. Just heat your oven to 400F, pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork, and bake for about 45 minutes, or until soft. The time will differ depending on the size of the potatoes.
Ilyana says
Made them! Loved them! Used a brown sugar buttercream/cream cheese frosting and they are really great 🙂 Now they are ready to head out with me and my family to a Thanksgiving dinner. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for the recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Toasted marshmallow frosting??? You hit this one of the park Deborah – YUM!
Angela says
Hi! Probably a stupid question but can you used canned sweet potatoes?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried them with canned sweet potatoes, but I’m guessing it would work.
Erin says
I am making them right now with sweet potatoes, but I haven’t put them in the oven yet. After I added the second group of the flour mixture, my batter got really think. I’m wondering if I should add a little more milk. I guess we’ll see when they come out!
Deborah says
I hope they turned out for you – I love them!!
Quay says
Hi Deborah! First time to your site and I really want to try this recipe. I have a question: what can I substitute for the corn syrup? I don’t have anything against using CS, but I’d rather not go out and buy it. So I guess that means I’m lazy lol. Or should I stick with CS? Thanks in advance!
Deborah says
Welcome! I don’t think there would be a good substitution for the corn syrup, but any marshmallow or 7 minute frosting should work. The marshmallow frosting in this recipe should work – http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/devils-food-cupcakes-with-marshmallow-frosting/. I hope you love them as much as we did!!
Nutmeg Nanny says
These cupcakes are brilliant, so lovely
Laura Dembowski says
So sad that Lis died so suddenly, but what a lovely tribute to her. These cupcakes look delightful. Marshmallow frosting is the best!