Sweet Potato Cupcakes: the simple recipe for tender, moist cupcakes

Perfectly delectable, fluffy, and deliciously soft sweet potato cupcakes are a wonderful treat to make this autumn. Decorated with a thick marshmallow frosting, sweet potato cupcakes are great for any occasion whether you're hosting a birthday party, Thanksgiving dinner, a family get-together, or just because!

It's a clever way to use up leftover sweet potatoes, although canned sweet potatoes work well in this recipe, too. Sweet potato cupcakes are incredibly easy to make and an ideal tasty treat to make this fall. That said, they're so mouthwateringly good, you may want to make them throughout the year!

Expert Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Cupcakes

You can use oil instead of butter to make your cupcakes ultra-soft and moist. Vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil will all work well.

Make the cupcakes up to 1 day in advance, just make sure to frost them the same day you'll be serving them.

You can use cake mix to streamline your baking instead of making the cupcakes entirely from scratch.

If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute it for ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Your cupcakes are ready to come out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and mostly crumb-free.

There are loads of amazing variations to try. Use a kitchen blowtorch to make toasted marshmallow frosting or use cream cheese or buttercream frosting instead of marshmallow frosting. You can add chocolate chips for an extra pop of sweetness.

To make vegan-friendly sweet potato cupcakes, use flax eggs or tofu instead of eggs and egg yolk and plant-based milk instead of cow's milk.

For gluten-free cupcakes, simply swap your favorite gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour.

To make keto-friendly cupcakes, use a sweetener like erythritol and almond meal instead of flour.

How to Store Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Place your cupcakes in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can freeze the cupcakes without frosting for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge then frost them when you're ready to serve them.

How to Make Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with liners.

Cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Beat in egg, egg yolk, sweet potato, and vanilla bean.

Whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients to combine.

Add the milk into the sweet potato mixture.

Set the mixer to low then add in half the flour mixture.

Then add the rest of the flour mixture.

Pour the batter into the muffin tins.

Place the muffin tin in the oven and reduce the heat to 325F. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

To make the frosting, pour white sugar, brown sugar, and water into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to combine.

Once the sugar has dissolved and begins to gently bubble, cook for 1 minute then remove from heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted.

Whip the egg white and cream of tartar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.

Pour in marshmallow mixture into the egg whites.

Beat on high with a hand mixer for 3 to 5 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla then transfer the frosting to a piping bag.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Garnish with pecans.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients to make your sweet potato cupcakes.