Page 334 - Cupcakes

1 tablespoon grated fresh orange zest

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup miniature marshmallows (optional; see “the Cupcake Doctor says”)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Mist the

bottom of 12 to 15 muffin cups with the vegetable oil spray. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the muffin mix in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
Reserve the cinnamon sugar packet (see “the Cupcake Doctor says”) to sprinkle
on top of the muffins. Place the sweet potatoes, the contents of the cinnamon
swirl packet, the milk, melted butter, egg, orange zest, and nutmeg in a
mediumsize mixing bowl and stir with a fork to combine and break up the egg

yolk. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the well of the muffin mix. Stir the wet
and dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon until just combined, 20
strokes. The batter will still be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop ⅓ cup batter into
each prepared muffin cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. Sprinkle the
pecans and reserved cinnamon and sugar mixture on top. Place the pans in the
oven.

3. Bake the muffins until they are lightly golden and just spring back when
lightly pressed with your finger, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove the pans from the
oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife
around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cups using
the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips.
Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Store these muffins, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room
temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze
them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the
muffins overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

the Cupcake Doctor says...

For a totally fun look and a delicious sweet potato casserole flavor, press a
few mini marshmallows gently onto the top of each muffin during the last