Summer is a time to enjoy citrus flavors, sunshine, and weekends at the beach. That's what makes this post such a hit from left field. Sweet potato cupcakes with chai cream cheese frosting in the summer? Sounds like a fall recipe to me too. I couldn't wait that long though to try them! Especially since the ingredients are available year round.
I found this recipe in Self magazine and was immediately smitten. This cupcake contains some of my favorite flavors, all rolled int one. Anything with chai and cinnamon gets my attention. Plus, it's visually appealing. I love the ruby color of cranberries; it's like a tiny gem on top!
The other pro of this recipe was its "low calorie" claim of being under 75 calories per cupcake. The mix contains oat flour and egg white (no egg yolk). Sounds too good to be true right? When I started pouring the batter into my cupcake molds, I was skeptical that it would be enough for all 12. That's where I didn't read the small print.
Yup. Those 75 calories apply for a dozen MINI cupcakes. Big difference when you're using a full size cupcake tin. They took the same amount of time in the oven at least. I did end up doubling the amount of frosting to generously coast the entire top of the cakes. That whole calorie estimate was thrown right under the bus. Oh well!
Regardless of size, these cupcakes are lovely. The chai cream cheese is subtle yet flavorful- I cannot wait to try it on other cupcakes this fall like pumpkin and espresso! The cake itself comes out a shade orange thanks to the sweet potato which pairs quite nicely with oat flour. The oat flour has a slightly more dusty quality too it which helps bulk this cute cupcake. It's not super fluffy, but it's not dense either!
This is definitely a recipe worth trying out, especially for those you want something a little sweet but don't want to have a ton of temptation on the counter.
