Rich and moist Sweet Potato Pecan Cupcakes are topped with a sweet caramel frosting. These festive cupcakes have all your favorite Fall flavors and would be a delicious non-pie addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table.
Sweet Potato Pecan Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
I know so many people are done with Fall and looking towards Christmas, but I just can't yet. For one, if my ADD brain starts on Christmas, my family will show up on Thanksgiving and wonder where all of the pies and turkey are. (There will be none... because I was busy with Christmas squirrels!) And also, I just like Fall. And Thanksgiving. And pie. So I'm going to stick with it for the last 2 weeks that I have!
This week is also my daughter's birthday. The LAST birthday in our birthday season every year! So after her party this weekend, I will finally be able to focus my attention on Thanksgiving! But I still have cupcakes on the brain. And what better way to combine all of these things than with delicious Fall cupcakes?!
I've teamed up with a group of other amazing bloggers to bring you some tasty and inspiring Fall cupcakes that are the perfect non-pie Thanksgiving desserts, if I do say so myself. Of course, they're yummy all Fall long... but just in case you felt like you needed a really good reason to make cupcakes... I don't think you can beat Thanksgiving!
The Fall cupcake recipe that I'm sharing is Sweet Potato Pecan Cupcakes topped with a sweet caramel frosting. And boy are they good. Rich and moist and all decked out with traditional Fall flavors that everyone loves!
Be sure to check out the rest of the Fall cupcakes recipe at the bottom of this post!
Sweet Potato Pecan Cupcakes Recipe
Sweet Potato Pecan Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups pureed sweet potatoes
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon maple flavor Optional
- 1 ½ cups chopped pecans
For the Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar (or more for desired thickness)
- Chopped pecans and jarred caramel sauce for decorating
Instructions
For the Sweet Potato Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, place butter and sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating between each addition.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk together to combine.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and stir until just combined.
- Add the remaining half of the flour mixture and stir again until just combined.
- Next, add sweet potatoes, buttermilk, vanilla, and maple to the mixture, and beat until just combined.
- Fold in pecans.
- Spoon batter evenly into lightly greased and lined cupcake pans.
- Bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes.
- Set aside to cool completely.
For the Caramel Frosting
- When cupcakes are cooled completely, prepare the frosting. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
- Add brown sugar and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Stir in cream. Return to a boil. Then remove from heat.
- Whisk in vanilla.
- Pour caramel mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer).
- Gradually beat in powdered sugar at medium speed, using the whisk attachment.
- Beat 7 to 10 minutes, until thickened and smooth.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes immediately. This frosting will crust if it sits out.
- Top with caramel sauce and crushed pecans.
Notes
- If you don't have any buttermilk on hand to make this recipe, you can use this super simple Buttermilk substitute with just 2 ingredients. It always works in a pinch!
- For more tips for the caramel frosting, visit the full recipe here.
- Storage
- Freezer Directions
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Arlene Mobley says
I love sweet potato pie and I bet it tastes awesome in a cupcake.
Rosemary says
I can now find sweet potatoes in Italy, looking forward to trying these yummy cupcakes.
Sarah Jane @ The Fit Cookie says
Yum, this cupcake flavor sounds amazing! I think I could just eat that frosting with a spoon too 😉
Melissa says
I love sweet potato pecan casserole at Thanksgiving, so I would love these!
Veena says
I bet these taste awesome. I love sweet potato anything. Loved doing this collaboration with you Michelle. Can't wait for the next.
Kathy says
The most amazingly moist and delicious cupcakes! The only change I made was I frosted with a Praline Cream Cheese Frosting. But I could honestly eat them with no Frosting. Thanks so much for sharing!!