Sweet potato cupcakes are a delicious fall treat and a fun way to switch up your Thanksgiving dessert. These moist cupcakes are made completely from scratch and have a beautiful orange color that’s perfect for the season.
The weekend before Thanksgiving, I tried out some last-minute possible Thanksgiving dessert recipes and some of the recipes didn’t make the cut, but these sweet potato cupcakes did. If you’re looking for a different kind of dessert to serve this year this cupcake recipe is definitely one to try.
I found the recipe on Better Homes and Gardens and I was pleased with how they turned out. The cupcakes are moist and a pretty orange color which is great for Thanksgiving. The recipe makes 24 cupcakes so I baked some of them in my regular cupcake pan and the rest in my Nordic Ware Rose Muffin Pan*
Sweet Potato Cupcakes Notes
Because I had to cook and puree the sweet potatoes (I couldn’t find canned ones anywhere) I split the preparation into two parts: the sweet potato puree and the cupcakes. Making your own puree adds more work, but the flavor is so great it’s worth it.
Sweet Potato Puree
- You will need approximately 2 large sweet potatoes for 2 cups of puree. Wash and peel them and cut them into 2-inch pieces.
- Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them with 1-inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Drain the water.
- Place the cooked potatoes in a food processor and blend them until smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a potato masher to break them down. Just be sure to mash them until they are smooth with no lumps.
- That’s it! Now you have sweet potato puree. The sweet potato puree can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Tips for Making the Cupcake Batter
- Like most cupcake recipes, it’s best to combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately before mixing them together. This makes it easier to make the batter without overmixing the flour which can change the texture of the cupcakes.
- I like to use an electric mixer to make these sweet potato cupcakes because the batter is pretty thick and it makes it easier to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- As I mentioned, I used a rose cupcake pan but you can also use a standard-sized cupcake pan to bake the cupcakes. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.
Frosting
My family doesn’t like frosting so I skipped it. That’s part of the reason I used my rose pan because the cupcakes are sort of plain-looking without any decoration. The original recipe includes a cream cheese frosting, so be sure to check it out if you like frosting.
More Recipes to Try
*Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).
Sweet Potato Roses
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups unsweetened sweet potatoes puree
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set cups aside. (I greased and floured a mini rose muffin pan instead)
- In medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Add sweet potatoes and vanilla, beating until combined. Add flour mixture; beat until combined (batter will be thick).
- Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 minute. Remove from pan and cool completely.
Notes
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
where might I find a rose shaped muffin tin?
Nordicware makes one. I bought it from Amazon. I linked to it in the post as well. https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Cast-Aluminum-Nonstick-Sweetheart/dp/B00080QKC4/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1374298972&sr=1-1&keywords=nordic+ware+rose+muffin+pan
where might I find a rose shaped muffin tin, never seen one that wasn’t a regular muffin tin.
Muffins taste better when they look like a rose.
It sounds delicious! Thanks for this recipe!! I will make it at halloween.
Hi Carol- Some butter on these cupcakes sounds delicious. They aren’t your typical birthday cake type cupcake, so I don’t think butter sounds as odd. They taste more like muffins, except the batter doesn’t rise up like a muffin.
Sweet potato cupcakes sounds wonderful! Wonder if warm cupcakes with a pat of butter would be odd? Almost like having a whipped-baked sweet potato pie, er…cupcake.