These pretty little cupcakes are flavored with pomegranate juice, a tasty fruit that has become all the rage in health food circles. Add in some cocoa, and you have a killer combination. Top with an optional cream cheese frosting, if you like. Pomegranate juice is readily found in most markets these days in the refrigerated case near orange juice and the like.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
- Cupcake Mix:
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ounce pomegranate juice
- 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon finely ground salt (sea or ionized)
- 2 Tablespoons potato starch
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons grated chocolate
- .
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 pound cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup (or 2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place 24 paper liners in cupcake trays.
Beat together the pomegranate juice, oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with an electric mixer.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, potato starch, and cocoa powder.
Add the flour mixture to the batter and blend until smooth and thoroughly combined. This shouldn't take more than a minute with the mixer on one of its lowest settings. Fold in grated chocolate by hand.
Pour batter into paper liners. Fill two-thirds of the way to the top.
Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after it is placed in the middle of the cake.
Cool for five minutes before placing the cupcakes on baking racks.
For the Frosting:
Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla together with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Note: Use mixer to beat icing until completely smooth with pleasant peaks.
Recipe Source: "The Icing on the Cupcake" by Jennifer Ross (Ballantine)
A Shot Through the Heart Cupcakes Recipe Photo © 2010 Eye Candy Photography, licensed to About.com
Beat together the pomegranate juice, oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with an electric mixer.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, potato starch, and cocoa powder.
Add the flour mixture to the batter and blend until smooth and thoroughly combined. This shouldn't take more than a minute with the mixer on one of its lowest settings. Fold in grated chocolate by hand.
Pour batter into paper liners. Fill two-thirds of the way to the top.
Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after it is placed in the middle of the cake.
Cool for five minutes before placing the cupcakes on baking racks.
For the Frosting:
Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla together with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Note: Use mixer to beat icing until completely smooth with pleasant peaks.
Recipe Source: "The Icing on the Cupcake" by Jennifer Ross (Ballantine)
A Shot Through the Heart Cupcakes Recipe Photo © 2010 Eye Candy Photography, licensed to About.com
