Sweet Potato Cupcakes

I wanted to try out something totally different these weekend... So my dearest other half gave me this awesome brow raising idea.. He said why not try something with Sweet Potato..  I personally love sweet potato and it kinda made me wonder how exotic it will taste in cupcakes... I read up a little and thought this recipe would be a Great start!!

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Recipe:	Sweet Potato Cupcakes
Courtesy:	www.bhg.com/recipes  &  www.myrecipes.com
Yield:	24 cupcakes
Ingredients
2	cups all-purpose flour
2	teaspoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2	teaspoon ground nutmeg
1	cup butter, softened
2	cups sugar
3	large eggs
3	medium red sweet potato
1/2	teaspoon vanilla extract
	Cream Cheese Frosting
1	cup coarsly chopped pecans

Preparation

1. Preheat oven at 400 Degrees F (204 Degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups

2. Pierce sweet potato with fork and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until completely soft and juices begin to seep from the potato and caramelize, about an hour. Reduce oven to 350 Degrees F (170 Degrees C).

3. When cool enough to handle, slice the potatos in half lengthwise and use a fork to scrap the flesh from the skin into a bowl, discarding the skins. Mash potato with fork until smooth. Alternately you can boil the potatoes with their skins peeled.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside

5. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 secs. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating at low speed after each addition until combined

6. Add sweet potatos and vanilla extract, beating until combined.

7. Add flour mixture. Beat until well incorporated. (Batter will be thick)

8. Divide batter evenly among lined cups. Bake about 30 to 40 mins or until stick inserted in centres come out clean.

9. Transfer the tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing the cupcakes

10. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting topped up with the chopped pecans

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I was elated when I tried the raw batter!! YuMMyyy!!! The earthly smell of the nutmeg with the taste of the cinnamon and the crunchy sweetness of the potato - it was indeed a very unique taste. With that same excitement, I wanted to try another variation of the Sweet Potato cupcake. So I altered the original recipe by adding a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed Orange Juice to the batter after dividing the batter. I frosted the second batch of cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting topped with Orange Zest. 

Feel free to comment, especially my dear friends who have tried my Sweet Potato Cupcake.