These Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes are rich, moist and the perfect sweet treat. Mixed all in one bowl, naturally sweetened, and done in 20 minutes, these cupcakes are dairy-free and easily gluten free. Top them with rich sweet potato frosting for an extra decadent dessert.
Sweet treats are something I love, especially during this time of year because…its my birthday month!
I am a deep and true dessert lover. Through and through. Last year, in celebration of my birthday, I added my favorite Chocolate Beetroot Cake to the blog. I love how veggies can add so much goodness to decant, celebration-worthy desserts and decided to make it an annual thing! This year on my 40th birthday, I will be chowing down on these amazing Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes topped with decadent and delicious chocolate sweet potato frosting.
These chocolatey and rich cupcakes have just the right amount of sweetness and moisture thanks to the mashed sweet potatoes mixed into the batter. Mixed all in one bowl, they are made with whole grains, cocoa powder, sweet potatoes (of course) and just a little maple syrup and coconut sugar to truly make them an amazing treat. Baking up in just 20 minutes, they are insanely delicious topped with easy (but so decadent) chocolate sweet potato frosting. Truly cupcake perfection!
Bonus: They are dairy-free and can easily be made gluten free.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes! I’ve had great success making these with Bob’s Red Mill’s cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend.
Can I make this recipe as a cake instead of cupcakes?
I haven’t tried that out yet but I bet you could! I’d pour the batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan and bake at the same temperature for about 30-35 minutes.
Can I use canned sweet potato in this cupcake recipe?
Canned and pureed sweet potato is one of my favorite time saving hacks in the kitchen. However, it is a much thinner+ wetter consistency than homemade cooked/mashed sweet potato and makes the cupcakes a bit too moist.
If you do need/want to use canned puree in this sweet potato cupcake recipe, use 1 cup of flour (instead of 3/4 cup) to help balance the texture out.
How to cook sweet potato for this cupcake recipe
I have found these methods below bring out the natural sweetness in sweet potatoes the best, making them perfect for prepping your spuds for these cupcakes!
To roast sweet potato: Preheat oven to 425℉. Wash sweet potato thoroughly, pat dry, and pierce 3-4 times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
To microwave sweet potato: Wash sweet potato thoroughly, pat dry, and pierce 3-4 times with a fork. Place potato on microwave-safe plate and microwave 5 minutes, turning halfway through. If your potato isn’t fork tender after 5 minutes, continue microwaving in 30 second increments.
To cook sweet potato in the Instant Pot: Wash sweet potato thoroughly and pierce 3-4 times with a fork. Place the stainless steel trivet in your Instant Pot and arrange potatoes in a single layer. Pour in 1 cup of water and place lid on your pressure cooker. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes and naturally release the pressure once cook time is up.
To cook sweet potato in the slow cooker: Wash sweet potato thoroughly and pierce 3-4 times with a fork. Place in your slow cooker with a cup of water. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You’ll know they are done when you can easily puncture the skin of the potato with a fork.
Suggested Adaptations
Make these sweet potato cupcakes gluten free. Use your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the wheat flour in this recipe. I like this one best!
Make them egg-free. I have not tested these using an egg substitute. However, in the past I have had success using a flax “egg” to replace the eggs in similar recipes.
Add some extra chocolate. Stir 1/3 cup mini or regular chocolate chips into the cupcake batter before baking.
How to melt chocolate for sweet potato frosting
Microwave: Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave them for 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between each interval, until chocolate is melted completely.
Double Boiler: Pour the chocolate chips into a metal bowl. Place bowl on top of the saucepan with water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Bring water to a boil, stirring the chocolate as it melts. Continue stirring over the heat until completely melted and smooth.
Other veggie-loaded treats to bake up!
- Chocolate Beetroot Cake (with raspberry whipped cream)
- Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Zucchini Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
- Sweet Potato Chickpea Blondies
- Pumpkin Brownies
- Healthy Carrot Cake Bread
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Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes
- 1 cup cooked, cooled, and mashed sweet potato see below for cooking instructions
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or other granulated sweetener
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat, all-purpose, or gluten free flour will work too
Chocolate sweet potato frosting
- ¾ cup cooked, cooled, mashed sweet potato see below for cooking instructions
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips melted. See below for melting instructions
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or to taste
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, the 1 cup of mashed sweet potato, oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Using a spatula or large spoon, stir in the cocoa powder and flour until all the ingredients are just combined.
- Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup or scoop to evenly divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, frost cupcakes as desired. Frosted cupcakes are best eaten within an hour. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or frozen, well wrapped, for a month.
Sweet Potato Frosting
- Add the 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and maple syrup to a food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrap down the sides and bottom once and then blending again.
- Taste and add additional maple syrup if you want a sweeter frosting.
- To frost cupcakes, spread about 2 tablespoons of the frosting onto the top of each cupcake.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
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