Illusion foods are always a fun time, and Meatloaf Cupcakes really do cast a magic spell! At first glance, these look like ordinary chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting, but when you bite in you find a savory experience rather than a sweet one! The “cake” of Meatloaf Cupcakes is indeed a succulent, flavorful mini meatloaf. And that frosting? Deliciously creamy and rich mashed potatoes. These little hearty treats make dinnertime as enchanting as dessert time!
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For the mashed potato topping:
- 5 russet potatoes, washed and peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- salt, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, add the ground beef, the white onion, the breadcrumbs, the milk, the egg, the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the dried basil, the oregano, the black pepper, and the crushed red pepper and knead gently but thoroughly until combined.
Step 4 –In a large pot, add the potatoes and the chicken broth.
Step 5 –Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring the potato-broth mixture to a boil.
Step 6 –Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 7 –Divide the meatloaf mixture into 12 evenly-sized meatballs that fill the muffin tin cups.
Step 8 –Fill the muffin tin cups with the meatloaf balls.
Step 9 –Bake the meatloaf balls until they reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F, about 35-40 minutes.
Step 10 –Transfer the meatloaf balls to cupcake liners in a clean muffin tin.
Step 11 –Strain the potatoes from the broth.
Step 12 –In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked potatoes.
Step 13 –Add the butter, the cream cheese, the buttermilk, and the remaining salt to the potatoes and, using a hand mixer, whip the potatoes until light, fluffy, and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 14 –Transfer the mashed potatoes to a pastry bag with a star tip.
Step 15 –“Frost” the meatloaf “cupcakes” with the mashed potatoes.
Step 16 –Serve.
