Sweet Potato Crush Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a great dessert option after a big meal. Each person gets their very own portion of deliciousness. With Thanksgiving (American Thanksgiving), right around the corner, why not serve delicious & nutritious cupcakes?

Instead of sharing something pumpkin-y, we decided to share our very own recipe for Sweet Potato Crush cupcakes. We bake low-fat, low-cal, low-carb, diabetic friendly, and full of flavor, or in other words...legal treats.

This recipe was inspired by my Mom's Thanksgiving staple side dish, Sweet Potato casserole with pineapple chunks topped with a layer of mini marshmallows. My Mom was a phenomenal cook who frequently added a tropical twist to her dishes, which she learned growing up in Panama.

So, let's get started with our recipe for Sweet Potato Crush cupcakes. Yields 12-15 standard sized cupcakes.

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached AP flour (GF substitution: 2 cups GF Oat flour)

1 cup 100% white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp low-sodium salt (or a salt substitute like Nu-Salt)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground clove (optional)

2 T all natural unsweetened applesauce (Substitution: pear purée)

3 T stevia (I prefer Truvia because it acts most like sugar, from my experience)

2 large eggs (or 1 large egg and 2 egg whites from large eggs) (Substitution: 1/4 cup Greek yogurt)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all natural sweet potato purée

1/4 cup crushed pineapple (I use Dole crushed pineapple in the small can)

1/3 cup water

Method

We're shooting for an inside oven temp of no more than 300ºF because when you bake with stevia you have to bake slower and longer, and have to reduce the oven temp by 50ºF to 75ºF, depending on your oven. Here are my recommendations, based on my experience baking my cupcakes in all 3 types of ovens with an oven thermometer, pre-heat your oven for at least 30 minutes at:

Conventional gas oven at 280º-285ºF, the inside oven temperature will probably get closer to 300ºF by the time you're ready to bake. Plus, the flames are simply too close to the bottom of the pan and will burn the bottom of the cupcakes before they are finished baking.
Electric oven between 290ºF and 300º depending on the calibration of your oven.
Convection oven, commercial grade, at 280ºF. Once again, this may vary ± 10ºF depending on the oven, but the goal is an inside oven temp of no higher than 300ºF.

Now to the good stuff...

1.) In a medium bowl sift, (simply put a strainer on the bowl and if you don't have one big enough, just hold one over the bowl), together the the dry ingredients: AP flour, WW flour, baking powder, baking soda, low-sodium salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove.

2.) Give the ingredients a good mix with a wisk and put to one side.

3.) In another bowl, mix together the applesauce and stevia. Mix on high, 2nd highest setting, until it starts to look frothy. I've never actually timed it, but it's about 45 seconds - 1 minute.

Tip: Remember, we're not working with any trans or saturated fats, so mixing time is decreased.

4.) Switch your mixer to low, second lowest setting, and mix in eggs one at a time, whether you're using 2 eggs or 3. You want to see some egg streaking, don't overmix the first egg before adding in the rest. Look for the tiny bubbles and you'll know it's time to add in the next ingredients.

Tip: Remember to scrape down the bowl while mixing. Working with these ingredients is more difficult because they are more delicate and require a lighter touch during mixing.

5.) Keeping your mixer on the second lowest setting, mix in your vanilla extract for about 15-20 seconds. Don't stress out about the timing here, just don't go crazy overmixing.

6.) Keeping your mixer on the second lowest setting, mix in the sweet potato purée. I've never timed it, but mix for about 15-30 seconds making sure all the ingredients are incorporated.

7.) Keeping your mixer on the second lowest setting, add the crushed pineapple and mix until just incorporated, don't overmix.

8.) With your mixer set on the lowest setting mix flour mixture and sweet potato mixture in thirds, alternating with the water. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

9.) Fill cupcake wrappers halfway only. Bake for 15 minutes.

Tip: In case you don't already know, the secret to professional looking cupcakes is using an ice cream scoop, a mechanical one, to fill the wrappers.

Baking time will vary depending on the type of oven and the calibration. Start checking at 15 minutes, if you can't touch them and have them spring back, leave them in for another 2-3 minutes, but check after 2 minutes.

For best results, you should always have a thermometer in the oven, closer to the back but not touching the oven wall, even if you have a digital temperature control.

9.) Once your cupcakes are done, let them rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then put them on a wire rack until they cool.

Frosting

While the cupcakes are cooling we're going to make the vanilla frosting. However, if the kitchen is too warm from the oven, wait til' it cools down before making the frosting.

Our frosting, like our cupcakes, is low-fat, low-cal, low-carb so it's more delicate to work with than the full-fat version. Also, please note the amount of confectioner's sugar, it's the perfect amount to cut that cream cheesey after taste and still be diabetic friendly. We've worked hard to develop our recipes and balance carbohydrates, fats, and fiber to make them diabetic friendly.

Frosting Ingredients

8oz. brick of Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese (otherwise known as Neufchatel Cream Cheese, and here it's important you use Philadelphia or the frosting will not have the correct consistency).

7/8 cup confectioner's sugar (or looking at the cup just below the rim, any more will make it too sweet).

1 tsp vanilla extract (no imitation vanilla extract for frosting)

Method

1.) DO NOT bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Take it out of the fridge and put it directly into a medium bowl, (probably best to take it out of the packaging).

That's one of the tricks to working with 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese. It needs to be really cold, and the best way to achieve that is by storing it at the back of your fridge, but do not freeze it.

2.) Sift the confectioner's sugar into the medium bowl. Here it's important to sift the sugar because you do not want any clumps.

3.) Add the vanilla extract.

4.) With the mixer on the lowest setting, mix ingredients until smooth. Do Not overmix or you'll have frosting soup. Because of the low fat content too much mixing will break down the consistency very quickly. If this happens to you the first time just throw it out or drizzle it over the cupcakes. Adding sugar or corn starch will not make it thicker because the structure is already broken down at that point.

Because of the type of ingredients called for using a healthful baking method, I use a hand mixer so I have more control. It's the mixing that's the most difficult since there are no trans or saturated fats. For those of you who use stand mixers, if you follow the directions as closely as possible, you should be ok. Everyone has their own mixing style, maybe I'll do a short video to demonstrate my mixing style for this type of baking.

Add-ons:

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the vanilla frosting

We hope you enjoy our cupcake creation for Thanksgiving or anytime you're in the mood for a delicious & nutritous treat.