Chocolate Cupcakes with Pomegranate Topping
Chocolate cupcakes filled with pomegranate curd, frosted with pomegranate buttercream and topped with fresh pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients
| 1 cup | 240 ml | all-purpose flour |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | baking soda |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon | 0.6 ml | baking powder |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | hot water |
| 1/3 cup | 80 ml | unsweetened cocoa powder |
| 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons | vegetable oil | |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | sugar |
| 1 | large egg | |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | vanilla |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | cornstarch (for the pomegranate curd) |
| 1 1/2 tablespoons | 23 ml | sugar (for the pomegranate curd) |
| a pinch | salt (for the pomegranate curd) | |
| 1/2 tablespoon | 7.5 ml | water (for the pomegranate curd) |
| 1 | large egg yolk (for the pomegranate curd) | |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | pomegranate juice (for the pomegranate curd) |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | earth balance (or butter) |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | pomegranate juice (for the frosting) |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | vegetable shortening (or butter), at room temperature |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | powdered sugar |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | salt (for the frosting) |
| 1-2 tablespoons | 15–30 ml | almond milk, if needed |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | fresh pomegranate seeds (to assemble) |
Instructions
For the chocolate cupcakes
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. In another small bowl, combine the hot water and cocoa powder.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oil and sugar. Add the egg, followed by the vanilla, and stir to combine.
- Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix the batter until everything is just barely combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups so that each is about ½ full. Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before filling them.
For the pomegranate curd 6. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, salt, water, and egg yolk until the mixture is completely smooth. 7. In a small saucepan, bring the pomegranate juice to a simmer over medium-low heat. 8. Very slowly, whisk about half of the pomegranate juice into the egg mixture until the mixture is combined and smooth. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the juice. 9. Continue to cook the mixture, stirring, until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. 10. Strain the curd through a mesh strainer, then stir in the earth balance until it is melted and combined. 11. Cover the curd and let it chill completely in the fridge before putting it in the cupcakes.
For the pomegranate frosting 12. Put the pomegranate juice into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the juice simmer, uncovered, until it has reduced to about ¼ cup - this took me about 20 minutes. Remove the reduced juice from the heat and let it cool completely before continuing. 13. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the salt. Continue beating the frosting until it is smooth. Add the reduced pomegranate juice and turn the mixer up to high speed. Beat the frosting for a few minutes until it is very smooth and fluffy, adding a bit of almond milk if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
To assemble 14. Using a small spoon, scoop out a hole from the center of each cupcake. Fill the cake with pomegranate curd, then re-top it with the top of the hole you cut out. 15. Pipe some frosting onto each cupcake. 16. Top each cupcake with a scant tablespoon of fresh pomegranate seeds.