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Sweet Potato Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

The weather is cooler the leaves are changing and the holidays are quickly approaching which only means it’s that wonderful time of the year…fall. When fall arrives all I want to do is get in my kitchen and start baking. It’s perhaps the memories of a child when my mom and grandmother would spend most of their time in the kitchen baking goodies for the family. The smell of fresh baked goods are still in my memories. So it’s pretty easy to see why I love to get in my kitchen as soon as that first leaf changes color. There is nothing like filling your own kitchen with the smells of fall either. And when I think of fall and fall baking there are a few key ingredients that come to mind pumpkin, sweet potato, and butternut squash and of course cinnamon. I’m a lover of all things involving pumpkin but I also love sweet potatoes. I think if I had the choice I could easily eat one every day. I thought I would share with you a favorite cupcake in my house that uses the wonderful fall ingredient Sweet Potatoes and is then topped with an amazing Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and Toasted Sugar Pecans. It’s sure to get everyone in the mood for fall. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
1 3/4 cups sweet potato puree
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup Grade A Maple Syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
4 eggs

For Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream sheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

To Make Cupcakes:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12 standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2.) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Toss the pecans into flour mixture if using. This will help to prevent the pecans from sinking to the bottom.

3.) In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato, sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, applesauce, and oil. Add the eggs one at a time until everything is incorporated.

4.) Add the flour mixture in three additions, stirring until just combined.

5.) Fill the muffin tins about three fourths full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool 10 minutes, then remove from tins and let cool completely.

To Make Frosting:

1.) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and confectioners' sugar; continue beating until well combined and smooth.

2.) Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. If you don't have a pastry bag you can place frosting into a zip lock freezer bag and cut the end slightly and then proceed to pipe onto cupcakes. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and cinnamon sugar.

Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

Happy Baking and Happy Fall everyone!

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