Sweet Potato Casserole Cupcakes

By southerngrace

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 2 pounds (about 3 medium) sweet potatoes, cleaned
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Frosting:
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until completely soft and juices begin to seep from the potatoes and caramelize, about 1 hour. Reduce oven to 325°.
When cool enough to handle, slice potatoes in half lengthwise and use a fork to scrape the flesh from the skin into a bowl, discarding skins. Mash potato with fork until smooth. (You should have about 2 cups.)
Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three batches, beating until completely incorporated after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes are set and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
To make the frosting, in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and egg whites. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.
Attach bowl to a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat mixture on high speed until glossy and voluminous, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately. Brown with kitchen torch or broiler if desired.