Vanilla Butternut Squash Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Sage

By tmmh

Spongy butternut squash cupcakes with strong vanilla undertones, spicy cinnamon cream cheese frosting, garnished with a fresh leaf of candied sage.

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 1 large butternut squash, cubed, boiled, and pureed (makes about 2 cups of puree)
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1.5 teaspoon baking soda
• 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 cups of coarsely chopped vanilla wafers
• Frosting:
• 1 8 oz brick of cream cheeze
• 1 lb (1 box) of powdered sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Candied Sage leaves:
• fresh sage leaves
• super-fine sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Cupcakes:
Mix first five ingredients with electric mixer.
Add eggs one at a time while mixing.
Combine next three ingredients in a separate bowl, add gradually to first mixture while mixing.
Fold nilla wafers into batter.
Pour into cupcake pan, bake at 350°F for ~20 min, until toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool and top with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and a candied sage leaf.

Frosting:
Mix well with electric mixer.

Candied Sage leaves:
Wash sage leaves and blot mostly, not completely, dry. Dredge in super fine sugar (can make by putting sugar in food processor for ~one minutes) until completely covered. Allow to dry for at least two hours