Sweet Potato Cupcakes Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting Candied Pecans Recipes

SHARP CHEDDAR CUPCAKES WITH CANDIED PECAN TOPPING AND HONEY BLUE CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, milk, butter, baking powder, vanilla and egg. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool.
• Spoon a tablespoon of Candied Pecans on each cooled cupcake. Then frost each cupcake with Honey Blue Cheese Frosting. Finally, garnish with a Cheddar Cheese Crisp and 1 whole candied pecan.
• Combine the brown sugar, 1/4 cup water and butter in saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar melts. Stir in all the pecans. Continue cooking over medium heat until the sugar reaches a full boil, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully as the sugar will boil fairly quickly. As soon as the mixture reaches full boil, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Remove the whole pecans and save for garnish. Spoon candied pecans over cupcakes when sugar becomes sticky and not too runny.
• Cream the cream cheese and butter together in a mixer. Add the blue cheese and honey. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Drop quarter-size mounds of cheese on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is crispy, about 5 minutes.

BROWN SUGAR-PECAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups.
• Spread pecans in ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown; cool. Place 1/4 cup of the pecans in food processor. Cover; process until finely chopped. In small bowl, mix finely chopped pecans and the brown sugar; set aside for topping.
• In another small bowl, mix flour and baking soda; set aside. In medium bowl, beat 1/4 cup butter and the shortening with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition until blended.
• In small bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites and remaining 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, cook 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until browned. Pour into large bowl; refrigerate 20 minutes. Add cream cheese to browned butter; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste.
• Frost each cupcake with generous 2 tablespoons frosting. Sprinkle with reserved pecan-brown sugar mixture.

SWEET POTATO CUPCAKES WITH TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
• Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Blend in vanilla extract and sweet potatoes.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Add half the flour to the sweet potato mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Blend in the milk and the remaining flour mixture.
• Scoop batter into prepared cupcake pan and bake in preheated oven until tops spring back when touched lightly with a finger and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool on rack.
• To make frosting, combine white sugar, cream of tartar, a pinch of salt, egg whites, and cold water in a heatproof mixing bowl. Set the mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is very hot to the touch and stiff peaks have formed, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat 1 minute more. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and marshmallow creme and beat until combined.
• To frost the cupcakes, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with frosting; pipe mini marshmallow-shaped dots all over the cupcakes. Alternatively, use a knife and frost them generously with lots of swoops and swirls.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Arrange 3 or 4 cupcakes on a baking sheet and place them in the oven under the broiler. Toast until the frosting has started to brown, about 90 seconds (check every 20 seconds and rearrange the baking sheet, if necessary). Repeat with the remaining cupcakes until all are toasted.

SWEET POTATO-PECAN CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Place pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan.
• Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring once after 4 minutes.
• Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sweet potato mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Fold in toasted pecans. Place foil baking cups in muffin pans, and coat with vegetable cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove immediately from pans, and cool 50 minutes to 1 hour or until completely cool. Spread cupcakes evenly with Cream Cheese Frosting. Garnish, if desired.
• Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe ~.
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Makes 3 cups.

CANDY'D SWEET POTATO CUPCAKES WITH BROWN SUGAR ICING

Steps:

• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the sweet potato cubes, cover, and steam until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes depending on thickness. Remove the sweet potato from the steamer and allow to cool. Transfer the cooled sweet potato to a blender. Pour in the orange juice. Cover blender, and puree until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add more orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sweet potato is blended.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 48 muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
• Beat 1 cup butter, light brown sugar, and white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract with the last egg, then stir in the sweet potato puree and orange zest.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Mix the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing until just blended. Batter will be thick. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• To make frosting: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl; set aside. Heat the brown sugar, heavy cream, and 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until the brown sugar mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk the brown sugar mixture into the confectioners' sugar until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Allow the sugar mixture to cool and thicken before icing the cooled cupcakes.