Mini Sweet Potato Marshmallow Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 350 g)
• Cooking spray
• 18 marshmallows
• 1.5 cups unbleached premium flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 110 g butter at room temperature
• 0.5 cups tightly packed light brown sugar
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Special equipment: three pans for 12 mini-muffins or two pans for 24 mini-muffins

Preparation:

1. Make sweet potato puree:
   
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool, peel, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Measure out 1 cup of the puree for the cupcakes, and set the remaining puree aside for another use.
2. Cupcakes:
   
   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray the metal surface with cooking spray. Use kitchen scissors to cut each marshmallow in half diagonally; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper. In another large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup of sweet potato puree and beat until smooth (it's okay if the mixture separates). Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18-20 minutes, rotating the cupcake liners halfway through baking. Let the cupcakes cool in the cupcake liners for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. While still warm, top each cupcake half with a marshmallow, cut side down. Let the cupcakes cool completely. They can be baked up to a day ahead and stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.
5. Preheat the oven to broil. Transfer half the cupcakes to a baking sheet and broil, rotating the pan as needed, until the marshmallows are golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. This can be done up to 2 hours before serving.