Chocolate-Mashed Potato Cupcakes

Yes.  You read that right. Chocolate-mashed potato cupcakes.

We have a whole new year to be adventurous, so I figure, why not.

Why not try something new and different and unexpected?  And why not since I had a bowl of leftover mashed potatoes just hanging out in my fridge with the dozens of other New Year’s leftovers.

As I considered this idea, I remembered the chocolate-covered potato chips from the Sweet Confections book and that sealed the deal.  They were destined to become chocolate-mashed potato cupcake toppers.

I smiled.  I giggled.  I whipped them up in a flash!

Best of all, I totally weirded out Mr. Baird.  It was a good day.

Now, I’ve had my fair share of secret ingredient desserts; tomato soup chocolate cake (a Rose Levy Beranbaum recipe), chocolate kraut cake – I even ate garlic chocolate chip cookies once at a garlic festival.  They were all really good and not weird at all.   The main purpose of the novelty/mystery ingredient is to impart moisture, and it’s no different with these mashed potato cupcakes.  The cake portion bakes up dense like a pound cake but it is OH-so-moist.

I will make these again when I’m staring down a bowl of leftover ‘taters.

A few (obvious?) notes about the mashed potatoes:

• Avoid using mashed potatoes with skins, chives, sharp cheeses, garlic or any other inclusions that would ruin the texture and flavor of the cupcake.
• If you make runny mashed potatoes, then you may need to add up to 1/8 cup of all purpose flour to the batter.
• Use mashed potatoes with any combination of these ingredients:  salt, butter, margarine, sour cream, milk, heavy cream, half and half, evaporated milk.  A little pepper is okay too, just as long as it’s not super-duper peppery.

Other Tidbits:

• Thanks to those of you who sent Christmas cards and letters!  I’m so happy to be able to connect with you all on a more personal level.  I’ve already sent out my 1st batch of return letters, so let me know if for some reason you don’t get yours.
• My editor sent me the advance reading copies of the SB book during Christmas holiday.  It looks GREAT and I’m super excited and grateful.  And excited.  And grateful.  And looking forward to all that comes in 2012!
• My scuba-diving sister-in-law just got engaged (he popped the question at 35 ft. underwater!).  I foresee many wedding cake blog posts in SprinkleBakes’ future.

Chocolate-Mashed Potato Cupcakes

Yield: About 15 cupcakes                                                                                [click for printable version]

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup cold, leftover mashed potatoes *see notes

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup whole milk

2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line cupcake tins with papers and set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, then add mashed potatoes.  Whip until fluffy.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together.  Add the flour and egg/milk mixture to the batter alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Mixture will be thick.
5. Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed in the middle.
6. Let cupcakes cool completely before icing them.

Chocolate Frosting:

Shared by Heidi D. on my Facebook page, originally from Food.com

(Adapted slightly)

1/2 cup butter softened

2 2/3 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1. Cream the butter in a medium bowl.Add the cocoa, confectioners sugar and vanilla alternately with the half-and-half. 
2. Whip until light and fluffy.  Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. 
3. Frost cupcakes.

Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips:

Note: this part of the recipe can be made ahead for convenience.

30 Small potato chips with ridges (hand-select from bag)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Nonpareils

1. Pour 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips in a small microwaveable  bowl.  Heat at 30 second intervals until half of chocolate is melted and bowl is warm.  (I only had to heat for 30 seconds, with no additional intervals needed).  Stir very well after each heating.  
2. Add remaining 1/4 cup of chips. Adjust microwave to 50% and heat at 10 second intervals until fully melted.  Stir between each interval.
3. Dip potato chips in chocolate and place them on a piece of parchment or wax paper.  Sprinkle with nonpareils.  Let set until completely hardened. 
4. Top frosted cupcakes with one or two chocolate-sprinkle-covered potato chips.