White Chocolate Purple Potato Cupcakes

Published: Feb 27, 2017 · Modified: Feb 18, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · 29 Comments

I know that purple potato cupcakes sound crazy, but trust me! The potatoes add bulk and colour, so it tastes like a white chocolate cupcake. I've even used the vibrant spuds to make a white chocolate purple potato frosting.

Commissioned post.

White Chocolate and Purple Potato Cupcakes

Potato cupcakes?, I hear you cry! Trust me on this. I've baked cakes with mashed potatoes before (check out my chocolate mashed potato cake with tahini drizzle).

Historically, potatoes were often used as a way to bulk out baked goods, particularly during the war. For hundreds of years, bakers used spuds to add bulk and moisture, plus it helps the cakes to keep for longer. You can’t taste the potato and it adds a nice extra richness to these decadent cupcakes. However, these cupcakes don't just have any mashed potatoes, I've used vibrant purple potatoes!

Purple potatoes turn into the most glorious-looking deep purple mash. When adding it to cakes the colour cooks out, a bit like beetroot does in cakes. But it still turns cupcakes this amazing shade of purply blue - naturally. No need to chemical food dyes, just some vibrant potatoes and you can colour these pretty cupcakes. The cupcakes don't taste of potato at all, but taste like a vanilla and white chocolate sponge. They're light, airy and delicious.

The frosting I used more of the purple mashed potato as the base for the frosting. I needed to keep that fab colour! So, the frosting tastes like a scrummy white chocolate frosting. Instead of bulking it out with icing sugar and butter, I used the mash and chocolate, with just a little extra powdered icing sugar. And... voila - potato frosting!

Purple Potatoes

Purple potatoes are naturally bright purple inside. They have a fluffy middle and are great for baking, wedging and steaming - or turning into purple potato cupcakes!

We've all been told that the compounds in blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, red cabbage and aubergines is very good for us - now we can get that goodness in spuds. Albert Bartlett's Purple Majesty potatoes are completely natural.

The company says, "Purple Majesty contains and abundance of natural plant nutrients called polyphenols and, in particular, a subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids, which act as powerful antioxidants to help protect body cells."

We tried these potatoes cooked a few different ways, and they're really versatile, but mash is definitely the most fun. It's just so incredibly bright! The chips we made tasted gorgeous (just a sprinkling of sea salt and some rosemary), though the colour darkens when you roast them. After steaming or boiling, the cooking water turns a vivid purple and it looks like the colour has slightly leeched out of the potatoes. But as soon as you mash them, the colour all appears! The taste is very similar to typical potatoes, but your brain is confused and intrigued by the colour. It most definitely brings a bit of fun to dinnertime!

Albert Bartlett is a family business, established in 1948, and it works with many of the same farming families three generation later. They supply over 20% of all UK potatoes, with exclusive growing rights for the famous Rooster potatoes.

You can find Albert Bartlett Purple Majesty potatoes online from Ocado. You can also buy them as seed potatoes online and grow your own crop!

Disclosure: This recipe for White Chocolate and Purple Potato Cupcakes with Purple Potato Frosting was commissioned by Albert Bartlett. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make it possible for me to mess up my kitchen and write Veggie Desserts.

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📖 Recipe

A close up of a cupcake on a plate, with a bite out.

White Chocolate Purple Potato Cupcakes

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts

These vibrant cupcakes are made with purple potatoes! You can't taste the spuds, but they leave a wonderful colour and make the cupcakes rich and moist.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 285 kcal

Equipment

12-hole muffin pan

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

2 oz (50g) white chocolate chopped
½ cup (125g) butter at room temperature
⅔ cup (125g) granulated sugar
2 large free-range eggs
¾ cup (150g) mashed purple potato without milk, butter or seasoning
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (100ml) milk

For the icing

¾ cup (150g) mashed purple potatoes
4 oz (100g) white chocolate
5 tablespoon milk
5 tablespoon powdered icing sugar confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325F / 170C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.
Place the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Don’t allow any water get in the bowl or the chocolate will seize. Remove the bowl from the water and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beating each one in well. Mix in the mashed potato, vanilla and cooled melted chocolate.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add one-third of the flour to the egg mixture and gently combine, then one-third of the milk. Repeat until all the ingredients are combined.
Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the purple potato icing

Place the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Don’t allow any water get in the bowl or the chocolate will seize. Remove the bowl from the water and allow to cool.
Beat the mashed sweet potato and white chocolate together until smooth.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 197mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.