Sweet potato cupcakes with pecan streusel and toasted marshmallow frosting

So I am actually a little embarrassed. I made these last year and am just now blogging them. Better late than never? At least its a couple days before Thanksgiving so maybe these can also serve as a warning for how not to toast the marshmallow frosting.  What is she talking about? you're thinking that cupcake looks perfectly toasted. Oh you just wait a few more pictures here....  

My husband works almost every Thanksgiving so I make goodies for him to take to work and share with the others that also end up working. I decided to make these sweet potato cupcakes with marshmallow frosting I found on Annie's Eats but I decided to kick it up a notch as Emeril likes to say and I added a pecan streusel topping before they were baked and I toasted the marshmallow frosting. Or burnt it. Maybe. ha

So I decided to just wing the streusel topping. I don't suggest that. It totally melted into the cupcakes and didn't have that crunchy streuselly topping I was hoping for. Still really good though

I think it was more close to pecan pie filling.

Instead of opening a can of sweet potato puree I roasted one in the oven. Well I was roasting a few anyways for us to eat so I threw in an extra one for the cupcakes. Love the orange color.

Into the batter it goes

The sweet potato makes it a thick, almost muffin like batter

plopped into the prepared pan. I used my favorite dark brown liners

 With the streusel topping ready for the oven

 See how the streusel baked in and its just the pecans? They still tasted amazing but not exactly the look I wanted.

 Marshmallow frosting is so good. Not like the tasteless, nasty marsmallow fluff you can buy in a jar at the store, but light and vanillaey and creamy.

So then its time to toast them. Um. I don't own one of those cute little creme brulee torches that totally would have toasted these to perfection. I need one. Hint hint, Santa. So instead I decided to broil. Ummmm. Yeah

 Dude. oops

 Like this actually reminded me of the lava flows you see on TV on volcano specials.  Cool looking but totally not appetizing. Except when I make s'mores I totally set the marshmallow on fire and it looks like this and I eat it. ha ha. 

I lost more than half my cupcakes. I tried scraping the frosting off and starting over but they just smelled burnt and I had no more frosting left and didn't feel like making more

 So I watched them a little closer this time. Some still burnt a little but not too bad.

 This is how they were all supposed to look. Well like the one in the middle. Not the slightly burnt ones

 Perfect!

So yummy

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
slightly adapted From Annie's Eats
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
17 oz. sweet potato puree
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir together with a fork and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in the sweet potatoes and vanilla extract, beating just until combined.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I just set my clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water, to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Brown with a kitchen torch NOT in the oven under a broiler

For the pecan streusel I used a mixture of all purpose flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and pecans.
I don't remember the exact amounts which is because I made it up instead of following a recipe. Next time I will follow a recipe. And not broil them.