Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 175 degrees Celsius. Next, prepare a dozen muffin cups by lining them with cupcake liners.

Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter until they become light and fluffy. Gradually add room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate into the butter mixture before proceeding with the next. Combine sweet potatoes and vanilla extract into the butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually add half of the flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture, stirring just until the ingredients are well combined. Combine milk and remaining flour mixture.

Scoop the batter into prepared muffin cups and bake in a preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, taking 18 to 22 minutes.

Allow the cupcakes to cool on a rack.

To prepare the frosting, combine white sugar, egg whites, cold water, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof mixing bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes very hot to the touch and forms stiff peaks, taking 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat for an additional minute. Add marshmallow creme and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; blend until combined.

To frost the cupcakes, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with frosting; pipe mini marshmallow-shaped dots all over the cupcakes. Alternatively, use a knife and frost them generously with lots of swoops and swirls.

Position your oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.

Arrange 3 or 4 cupcakes on a baking sheet and place them in the oven under the broiler. Toast until the frosting has started to brown, taking about 90 seconds (check every 20 seconds and rearrange the baking sheet if necessary). Repeat with the remaining cupcakes until all are toasted.