My latest inspiration in culinary delights! I’m still kind of trying to perfect this one, but this experiment turned out quite delicious. The cake recipe is adapted from one of my favorite curry recipes> Marrakesh Vegetable Curry

Curried Sweet Potato Cupcakes

• 1 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt

Curried Sweet Potatoes

• Two small sweet potatoes (8 oz.)
• 3 TBSP oil
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tablespoon sea salt
• Orange juice
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Cut 2 sweet potatoes into cubes and cook in a dutch oven for about 5 minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan place 3 tablespoons oil, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.

3. Pour spice mixture into the Dutch oven with potatoes and a splash of orange juice. Simmer for 20 minutes – covered .

4. Whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and vanilla extract – set aside to cool.

5. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamed.

6. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

7. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – set aside.

8. 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.

9. Place baking cups in muffin pans, 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 pan and cool. (Its really important to make sure these cook long enough or they come out flat! Also, it’s a really dense cake so fill the cups more than you would with normal cupcakes.)

Coconut Buttercream Frosting

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp coconut extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1.5 cups coconut, unsweetened & flaked

1. Beat butter briefly, scrape from sides of bowl.
2. Add the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time.
3. Add enough milk to reach desired consistency.
3. Add coconut and coconut extract and mix until combined.

When I was visiting London last year, my friend’s mother made this classic English dessert for me from scratch and it was pretty much the most incredible thing, EVER! Sweet sticky toffee covering a dense date cake, usually accompanied by custard! So delicious.

So! Here is my humble attempt at capturing that flavor – yup, you guessed it – in cupcake form!!! I made a batch for the family holiday gathering and they were a big hit!

**WARNING** These cupcakes are crucially delicious but SUPER labor intensive, hah! Set aside some major time to make these.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup pitted dates
• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pan with paper linings.

2. Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

3. Chop the dates fine. Place in a small bowl and add the boiling water and baking soda; set aside.

4. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until blended.

5. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

6. Add the date mixture to the batter and fold until blended.

7. Pour into the prepared cupcake cups – fill them only half-way!

8. Bake until pudding is set and firm on top, about 18 – 20 minutes.

9. In the meantime, make the Toffee Sauce!

Toffee Sauce

INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil gently over medium low heat until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes.

2. Preheat broiler. Spread a bit of the toffee sauce evenly over each cupcake. Place pudding under the broiler until the topping is bubbly, about 1 minute.
Reserve the rest of the Toffee Sauce for the last step! While those cakes are cooling, make some crunchy English toffee candy for the topping!

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling

INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy saucepan, warm the half-and-half over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the cornstarch with the sugar. Using a whisk, whip in the water until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks. When the half-and-half is simmering, slowly add about half of it to the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly to incorporate. Whisk this mixture into the simmering half-and-half and continue to whisk vigorously and constantly until the pastry cream thickens, 2 to 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and transfer to a glass or metal bowl. Let cool completely, stirring frequently to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or up to 3 days.

Vanilla Whipped Cream Topping

INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. When you are ready to assemble the cake, make the whipped cream: In a deep bowl, combine all the ingredients. Using an electric mixer or a balloon whisk, beat the mixture until soft peaks form.

Now FINALLY!!! Assembling the Cupcakes

1. Fill the cupcake with pastry cream – if you don’t have a fancy filler, all you have to do is cut a cone shape in the top of the cake, fill it, and then replace the top!

2. Cover each cupcake with toffee sauce and place under a broiler until the tops get nice and crispy. Set aside to let cool for at least an hour or two until the next step!

3. Pipe a nice healthy dollop of that vanilla whipped cream on top of each cake.

4. Finish by drizzling a little toffee sauce on top of each, I also like to sprinkle just a tiny pinch of sea salt on top of each – brings out the flavor like CRAZY.

AND VOILA!!! Enjoy!