Mothers Day Cupcakes

A few months ago I got an email from Kristen from POM Wonderful saying she came across my blog and loved it and wanted to send me a case of POM wonderful juice to use in a recipe and blog about. I have been trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to make. First off cupcakes of course, but what combo would work best with pomegranate? And for what occasion besides just because. Mothers day cupcakes came to mind because when I was a little kid one of my favorite things to do with my mom was go grocery shopping ( I know weird huh?) but I always KNEW I would get treats if I went with her. She used to joke that the grocery bill would be way more when I went with  her. I wasn't the kid that screamed for cookies or donuts or candy at the store. I wanted pomegranates. There was just something so awesome about that big red fruit that I could peel away at and pull the little seeds out and nibble on all day. Little did I know back then how good they are for you full of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants etc. But then again does an 8 year old think about let alone know what an antioxidant is??

 If I was to ever call a container of juice cute, these would be it. They're adorable. ha ha

 I searched many pomegranate recipes online and I thought it was funny that almost all the ones I came across in other blogs they too had mentioned receiving a case of POM juice from POM Wonderful. I was torn between two recipes but since I have 8 cute little bottles ( well now 5 left) I can make several recipes. I first went with a white chocolate pomegranate cupcake and was going to do a pomegranate buttercream but the cupcakes failed miserably. I am not sure what happened exactly but the cupcakes FELL apart when taken out of the cupcake pans after cooling a few minutes. I had found the recipe here.The tops were a little crunchy and the middles were too moist and too light. They were more like a muffin than a dense cupcake and there was no way they were going to hold up under even the tinest bit of frosting.

Plus all the wrappers peeled off too. I threw them ALL OUT. I was so mad I almost didn't make a new batch. But I had worked really hard on these gorgeous fondant flowers for the decorations I had to make a new batch.  I think these ones had either too much melted chocolate in the recipe or something was just off. Not sure. I debated making a box mix and adding in the pomegranate juice but I cringe at the thought of a box mix and it really is against my own personal baking religion. ha ha

So I decided on my basic vanilla cupcake and subbed pomegranate juice for the milk

Even with the juice added in for some reason they looked green...

I made a glaze of pom juice and powdered sugar and spooned over the tops of the cupcakes while still warm so it would soak in. They smelled like pomegranate just didn't look pinkish.

I whipped up a small batch of white chocolate swiss meringue butter cream and frosted with wilton 1M swirls

Decorated with my fondant flowers. I love these cutters and I got the veiner/mold I had seen on one of my favorite blogs that has a tutorial for these flowers. CakeJournal is the site and she has lots of great tutorials and all kinds of beautiful cake and cupcake creations.

I added pink luster dust to the light pink ones, I added pixie disco dust to the pomegranate colored ones. I mixed some different colors of fondant and added in some other colors to try to match the color as best as I could. They came out a little darker but I think they were a nice contrast with the light pink

So happy Mothers Day to all the amazing moms out there that really should be recognized daily not just one day a year. And thanks to my mom for always letting me get a pomegranate at the store when I was a kid and for being a great mom to me!!

Pomegranate Cupcake Recipe

adapted from my own vanilla cupcake recipe
makes 12 regular sized cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1 stick unsalted butter at room temp

3/4 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs room temp

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons pomegranate juice ( I subbed this for the milk and vanilla in my basic vanilla cupcake recipe)

Directions

preheat oven to 350 deg f, line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. 

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar together in and electric mixer til light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add in the eggs one at a time making sure each one is fully mixed in before adding the next.  Alternate the flour mixture with the pomegranate juice in 5 additions ( 3 dry, 2 juice) and mix until just incorporated don't over mix

Distribute batter evenly in liners in cupcake pan. Bake for 15-18 min. Test for done ness with a toothpick or by pressing lightly on the cupake and it bounces back. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely. Frost when cool.

White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients
3 large fresh egg whites at room temp
1/2 cup extra fine granulated white sugar ( bakers sugar)
pinch of salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temp cut into tablespoon sized pieces
3 ounces of melted and cooled white chocolate ( not chips but a baking bar) ( melting can be done in microwave or by double boiler method)

Directions




1. In a heatproof bowl, add the egg whites, sugar and salt, set over a pan of simmering water. Mix by hand constantly with a whisk, until the sugar has dissolved completely and an instant thermometer register 160°F.
2. Remove the bowl from heat, and beat with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed, until fluffy and glossy and the bottom of the bowl feel cool to the touch.
3.With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the butter two tablespoons at a time; mixing well after each addition. Once all the butter has been added stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and whip on high a few minutes. If it looks like its not coming together keep beating and it will.  Add the melted and cooled white chocolate, beat on high until smooth. If mixture looks curdled at any point during the beating process, continue beating until smooth; the curdling will disappear.
4. Transfer the buttercream to an airtight container and keep at room temperature if using the same day or refrigerate up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

September always reminds me of the yummy fall flavors that take over the baking world, especially apples. Living in Oregon I have discovered that there are more varieties of apples than I could have ever imagined. Baking with apples, making apple cider and all the wonderful spices that goes with and on of my personal favorites, ooey gooey caramel apples.
I love the combo of a tart, crisp green apple mixed with the salty, sweet taste of creamy caramel and a little bit of crunch from toasted pecans.

I started with a green apple cupcake. Jumbo of course. I used apple cider mixed with some extra frozen concentrated thawed for a nice apple flavor, used apple sauce instead of oil for moistness as well as more apple flavor and a dash of apple pie spice

I found these adorable ribbons in the $1 aisle at Target. One had red and green apples on it, another said , "Fall Fun" and another with stripes and another with sayings on it including , "Apple picking". They were perfect. I used Wilton cookie sticks I got at Michaels.

Still working on my cupcake photography.

The frosting is from Martha's Cupcake book. I am still on the fence about making swiss meringue buttercream. My heart belongs to Italian meringue but it didn't work with trying to make it caramel. At least not the way I was trying to make it. So I went with Martha's recipe. It flopped but instead of throwing it out I stuck it in my fridge to chill and I am glad I did. Chilling it made the flavor mellow out and taste more caramel like than toffee like. I wasn't terribly to thrilled with the swiss meringue - I have made it before and it flopped and no amount of mixing saved it - but this time it worked. I just have to perfect my caramel making skills so it has that deep caramel flavor.
I drizzled caramel sauce over the pecans to add to that gooey goodness.
Next time I will use green liners so you can really see that green cupcake.
All in all I say these are a keeper on my list of cupcakes to make

Green Apple Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup apple cider or juice mixed with 2 tbsp of frozen apple juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 cups Granny Smith apples peeled and shredded
• a few drops green food coloring ( optional)

Makes:  10-12 jumbo cupcakes, 18-24 standard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place paper liners in either two 12 cup regular muffin pans or two 6 cup jumbo muffin pans.
In large bowl, beat eggs with cider mixture, apple sauce and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to egg mixture; stir just until moistened. Do not overmix. Stir in apples. Pour into prepared pan 1/2 - 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 (25 for jumbos) minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack

Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients
Makes 5 cups

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 6 large egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make caramel: Pour 1/4 cup water into a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush two or three times to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is dark amber.
2. Immediately remove from heat; carefully pour in cream (caramel will bubble vigorously). Stir caramel until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; let cool.
3. Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
4. Return bowl to mixer; fit mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff. Reduce speed to medium low; add butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking until smooth.
5. Switch to paddle attachment. Add caramel and vanilla; beat on lowest speed until combined, 3 to 5 minutes. The buttercream can be made 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Before using, bring frosting to room temperature; return to mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth.