Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins

A sick kiddo, internet issues, a cold and frosty morning.  It's not the greatest blogging environment in my house this morning.  So I'm doing something a bit different.  I'm not going to try to tap away at a story that will probably be rambling and meaningless.  I'm going quiet.  So just enjoy the photos.  And, please, please make these muffins.  They're simply awesome and quickly becoming a staple in my mornings.

Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins
Makes 12 muffins.  Recipe adapted just slightly from this one on the Williams-Sonoma website.
For the printable recipe, click here. 

This is a great way to use up leftover sweet potatoes.  Mash them and toss them into the mix.  The cranberries are fresh and world away from the dried cranberries you might be used to in a muffin. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. The tart sharpness of the cranberries is the perfect foil to the earthy sweetness of the sweet potato.  Set off by some warm spices, the flavors in the light, springy muffins just sing.

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 
2 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp fine sea salt 
2 large eggs 
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup canola oil 
1/2 cup milk
grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (from about 1 large baked or steamed sweet potato or leftover mashed sweet potatoes)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a standard muffin pan or line the cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl stir together the eggs, sugar, oil, milk, orange zest and sweet potatoes.  Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined.  Gently stir in the chopped cranberries.  Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan.  Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the muffins are risen and springy to the touch.  A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin will come out clean.  Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack.

Muffins will keep for a day or two in an airtight container on the counter, but are best when eaten straight away.