Ingredients
POM Cream Cheese Frosting
- juice from 3-4 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates,* or 1-1/2 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
- 1 cup arils from 1-2 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates
- 4 oz. soft unsalted butter
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 14 oz. powdered sugar
POM Velvet Cupcakes
Preparation
POM Cream Cheese Frosting: Prepare fresh pomegranate juice*, score 1-2 fresh pomegranates and place in a bowl of water, break open the pomegranates under water to free the arils (seed sacs), the arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top, sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside, (refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use), reduce the pomegranate juice, over low heat, down to 3 fl. oz., Allow to cool, place butter into electric mixer bowl with paddle attachment and cream on medium-high speed for 1 minute, add the cream cheese and continue to mix for 2 more minutes, turn the speed down to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar and the pomegranate juice reduction, mix until the sugar is fully combined, remove icing from the mixer and place into a piping bag with a round or star tip.
POM Velvet Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350F, reduce the pomegranate juice, over low heat, down to 1/2 cup, place sugar and soft butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream on medium-high speed, until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, turn the speed down to low and add the eggs in one at a time, in a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, pomegranate juice reduction, white vinegar and vanilla extract, and then slowly add half of this to the mixer, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and then sift at least two times until well mixed, add half of this to the mixer, add the remaining half of the liquids to the mixer, and then the remaining dry ingredients, finish off with the heavy cream, beat just until combined, place cupcake liners into cupcake pan, and using a spoon, fill with cake batter until it is just about 3/4 full, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, allow the pan to cool slightly, and then remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool fully, once the cupcakes are cooled completely, they can be iced with the pomegranate cream cheese frosting and topped with fresh pomegranate arils.
Nutrients per Serving
Nutrients per Serving (1 cupcake without frosting): 161 calories (75 calories from fat), 2g protein, 9g total fat (6g saturated), 20g carbohydrates, <1g dietary fiber, 40mg cholesterol, 13g total sugars, 5mcg vitamin A RE, 157mg sodium, 15mg potassium, <1mg vitamin C.
Nutrients per Serving (1 cupcake with frosting): 240 calories (109 calories from fat), 3g protein, 13g total fat (8g saturated), 31g carbohydrates, <1g dietary fiber, 51mg cholesterol, 23g total sugars, 23mcg vitamin A RE, 175mg sodium, 37mg potassium, 1mg vitamin C.




















Very original and delicious idea! How festive for the holidays…
I found that the directions measured in ounces was confusing. How do I find 3/4 oz of baking soda? Also I ended up with much more frosting than was necessary and ended up having to throw the rest out. Tasted really good, but not quite the picture perfect recipe. Icing turns out more brownish, not the bright pink in the picture.
I actually ran out of frosting before I finished frosting the cupcakes! I agree that the icing is more brown; I suspect to achieve that pink color some food coloring needs to be added. I really liked the frosting recipe; the cupcakes were just ok…kind of dry.
I think that the title should day “POM Dirt Cupcakes with the most delicious frosting ever”. The cupcakes were horrible, I mean, it could have been all the conversions I had to do, with the oz to cups thing. But the frosting was amazing. Next time I make cupcakes or cake of any kind this while be what I frost it with. And my frosting didnt turn out that color pink, but it did turn out a little pink at least and not brown.
I absoloutely adored the frosting. Such an original recipe. Pomegranates are actually becoming very stylish in cooking these days, I believe.
Reducing the juice took a good hour. The cupcakes turned out very moist, however they don’t puff up like a traditional cupcake, very flat. At least they were spongey but only half of them comes out of the wrapper well. I think you could find a much easier recipe with better results.
Also, the icing is not stiff, but was very runny and yes darker than shown.
I think the recipe for the cupcakes is supposed to be 4 oz. of butter instead of 14 oz. of butter! They were dripping with oil when I took them out of the oven…I thought that was a lot of butter when I was mixing the batter! Guess I’ll have to retry it another time.
I made these cupcakes earlier this week. I didn’t think about looking at the reviews until after I started mixing up the ingredients! After reading so many negative comments, I felt a little hesitant with finishing the recipe. But I started, so I had to finish. I followed everything on the ingredients list exactly, even the 14 oz of butter for the cupcakes. I don’t know what I did differently from everyone else, but the cupcakes that came out of the oven were very moist and soft. They didn’t puff up like regular cupcakes, but that doesn’t stop them from being delicious! Also, make sure not to put on too much frosting because it is on the runny side. However if not caked on, the frosting won’t run off the sides.
In 5 days all 30 cupcakes have disappeared in my household!
Hi Heather,
Thanks for this feedback …. we have had some people who have had difficulty but I am glad to hear yours came out moist and soft! If you were going to change the recipe what would you do?
Cheers,
POM Wonderful
My friend and I have yet to try the recipe but we’re really excited especially having to use 14oz. of butter MMMMM butter!
Please let us know how you like it!