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    Home » Recipes » Cupcakes

    White Chocolate Purple Potato Cupcakes

    Published: Feb 27, 2017 · Modified: Feb 18, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe

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

    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 being peeled and cut.

    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!

    Table with a bag of purple potatoes and cupcakes on a tray.

     

    Cupcakes on a wire rack next to a piping bag of frosting.

     

    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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    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
    Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes.

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    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 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    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.

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    • Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
    • Easy Baked Churro Donuts
    • Carrot Cupcakes with Orange Icing
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nicole

      May 29, 2021 at 5:27 am

      We are in Australia. I have found purple sweet potato. Would this work???

      Reply
    2. Platter Talk

      March 08, 2017 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      Very cool and beautiful photos, This will be a first- using potatoes in frosting!

      Reply
    3. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine

      March 08, 2017 at 3:31 pm

      Cute! I think I'd use my Stokes Purple Sweets though 😉

      Reply
    4. The Food Hunter

      March 08, 2017 at 2:58 pm

      The color is beautiful. I would make them just for that reason alone!

      Reply
    5. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy

      March 08, 2017 at 2:27 pm

      Wow...what an interesting combination. I would never have thought of using purple potatoes. They look so pretty too.

      Reply
    6. Aish Das-Padihari

      March 07, 2017 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing colors. Love all the pictures and the purple potato cup cakes sound good.

      Reply
    7. Bella

      March 04, 2017 at 4:47 pm

      5 stars
      These are so cute, the colour is amazing! I don't think I've actually ever seen purple potatoes in the shops before but I'll have to look out for them now!

      Reply
    8. Marko Stojanovik

      March 02, 2017 at 5:27 am

      Hi, how is this healthy with so much sugar being used? I thought the idea is to provide kids healthy snacks?

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 02, 2017 at 1:20 pm

        Hi Marko, there's less sugar in these cupcakes than in typical cupcakes. But I'm all about balance - sometimes my kids make quinoa carrot truffles, sometimes we have more decadent cupcakes. These cupcakes have a bit of extra goodness from the purple potatoes, so they're slightly healthier than your average cupcake. If you're looking for sugar-free desserts, then have a search as I have plenty on the blog!

        Reply
    9. Nico @ yumsome

      March 01, 2017 at 11:01 pm

      These are so beautiful - they could actually tempt me to eat cupcakes again!

      (Long story... but it involved me being a judge in a cupcake contest years ago. I've not been near one since!)

      Reply
    10. CJ

      March 01, 2017 at 2:32 am

      Does the icing change colour after a day or two of making the cupcakes?

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 01, 2017 at 10:13 am

        Hi, I've had them for four days now and no sign of any change in colour. I wouldn't expect that it will fade before it gets eaten.

        Reply
        • CJ

          March 02, 2017 at 3:26 am

          Thank you! They are such beautiful cupcakes!

          Reply
    11. Thanh | Eat, Little Bird

      February 28, 2017 at 11:50 am

      I love purple potatoes and often serve them mixed with normal potatoes when they are in season, I have never used potatoes in cakes before, though, so this has been very interesting. Such a beautiful colour!

      Reply
    12. Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours

      February 28, 2017 at 11:29 am

      5 stars
      Just yesterday I watched a recipe that included beetroot in chocolate brownies, and that worked well. Purple poatoes! How fab do they look. I love them, So fab that you have included them in these cupcakes, what a wonderful colour.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 28, 2017 at 2:01 pm

        Beetroot is wonderful in brownies. And I love how well potatoes work in cakes as well 🙂

        Reply
    13. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

      February 28, 2017 at 11:04 am

      I love these potatoes, and they make such good mash. I love that you have used them in cupcakes too - they look beautiful.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 28, 2017 at 2:01 pm

        They make such wonderfully vibrant mash!

        Reply
    14. Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs

      February 28, 2017 at 9:52 am

      These are SO cool. That colour is amazing! Need to find me so purple potatoes 🙂

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 28, 2017 at 2:02 pm

        Find them at Ocado! I love the colour 🙂

        Reply
    15. Pretty

      February 28, 2017 at 8:06 am

      Wow never knew you could make cupcakes from potato. Love the purple colour.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 28, 2017 at 2:03 pm

        I know it's crazy, but people have been using potatoes in cakes for a long time!

        Reply
    16. Manjiri C K

      February 27, 2017 at 11:34 pm

      5 stars
      Ooo look at the gorgeous colour! what fab looking potatoes and yummy cupcakes! I want to play around and experiment with these purple beauties , must get some soon.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 28, 2017 at 2:04 pm

        I hope you do get some. They're soooo amazing. I think I'll try Hasselback purple potatoes next 🙂

        Reply
    17. Keep Calm and Fanny On

      February 27, 2017 at 7:57 pm

      5 stars
      The colours are fantastic! I love purple potatoes and this I the best use for them I reckon... We get quite a few purple/blue potatoes here in Scotland. Fanny would be pleased 😉

      Reply
    18. Claire Jessiman

      February 27, 2017 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      These are absolutely stunning! We tried the Purple Albert Bartlett Potatoes too for wedges and for mash. Kind of a surreal colour. Hard to believe its all natural.

      Reply
    19. Jodie Whitham

      February 27, 2017 at 6:25 pm

      It looks lovely. I'll send this to one of my friends who is obsessed with purple x

      Reply
    20. Becca

      February 27, 2017 at 6:18 pm

      Oh wow! These not only look incredible but I'd love to try them purely because they have potatoes in! Such a fab recipe, definitely book marking this one!

      Reply
    21. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche

      February 27, 2017 at 5:12 pm

      Ahhhh these are so stunning - both your cupcakes and the potatoes themselves! That colour is so vibrant. Definitely need to get my hands on some of these beauties!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
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    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Easter Recipes

    • Easter Rice Krispie Nests
    • Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)
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    • Nut Roast

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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