This past weekend I found myself stumped concerning the flavour of this week's cupcake. I knew I wanted to stick to a Thanksgiving theme so I allowed myself to be inspired by a dish that one of my friends produced from the time she spent with the Peace Core in Zambia, Sweet Potato Ifisashi. Typically a greens and peanut sauce dish, this version consists of mashed sweet potatoes with peanut butter, hence a simple, spiced sweet potato cupcake topped with peanut butter frosting finished with a dusting of cinnamon.
Sweet Potato Cupcake
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk1 cup mashed sweet potato
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice mix
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan(s).
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar until fluffy (~3 minutes). Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. In a separate bowl combine the vanilla, milk and mashed sweet potatoes. In a medium bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds alternating with the potato mixture starting and ending with the dry ingredients until combined. Scoop into pans. This batch yielded 12 regular sized and 12 mini cupcakes baked for 16 and 12 minutes respectively.
Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used all natural)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1tsp vanilla
2 cups icing/confectioner sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream
Combine the peanut butter, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes). Add the sugar and milk and beat until well mixed. This recipe yielded enough to top all 24 cupcake (12 regular and 12 minis) with 3/4 inch of frosting.
Swirl frosting over cooled cupcakes and sprinkle each with a dash of cinnamon.
The Panel
Comments pertaining to wonderful moisture of cake and deliciousness of peanut butter butter cream across the board! Sweet potato flavour mild but generally appreciated and combined well with spice and peanut butter aromas, though one comment was made that the frosting overpowered the cake. Crazy Cakes suggested incorporating cayenne or chipotle somehow.
Kupcake: "YUM YUM YUM! Peanut butter frosting was heaven."
Diana: "Looks like a nice comfy warm blanket."
CathyP: "I want to live in the cupcake...like James and the Giant Peach - can you make that happen?"
My comments
For the first time, I don't really have much to say about this treat. It was a well rounded, well proportioned, well textured piece. Though the presentation was perhaps overly simple, I was very pleased with the combination of flavours and would gladly attempt to incorporate a little spice to take it up a notch.
**On travel for work next week, which unfortunately means no cupcakes.
Comments pertaining to wonderful moisture of cake and deliciousness of peanut butter butter cream across the board! Sweet potato flavour mild but generally appreciated and combined well with spice and peanut butter aromas, though one comment was made that the frosting overpowered the cake. Crazy Cakes suggested incorporating cayenne or chipotle somehow.
Kupcake: "YUM YUM YUM! Peanut butter frosting was heaven."
Diana: "Looks like a nice comfy warm blanket."
CathyP: "I want to live in the cupcake...like James and the Giant Peach - can you make that happen?"
My comments
For the first time, I don't really have much to say about this treat. It was a well rounded, well proportioned, well textured piece. Though the presentation was perhaps overly simple, I was very pleased with the combination of flavours and would gladly attempt to incorporate a little spice to take it up a notch.
**On travel for work next week, which unfortunately means no cupcakes.