Eating seasonally is a really fun challenge, if you are up to it. Peaches and berries in the spring. Juicy, ripe tomatoes in the summer. Spending time at a local farmers' market is an excellent way to be hip to what is in season and when. Winter? It's all about the pomegranates. Ruby-colored fruit, bursting at the seams with juicy seeds. We're using them here to stuff inside cupcakes because really, why not? The little beauties make an elegant and eye-catching garnish as well.
Ingredients
For cupcakes:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
red food dye (optional)
For icing:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
additional seeds for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add in flour mixture and milk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour, until well mixed. Add in red food coloring if you choose. Fold in pomegranate seeds.
Divide batter into muffin tins, 3/4 to the top of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked through. Allow to cool completely before frosting. To prepare frosting, cream butter and cream cheese until completely combined. Add in powdered sugar and mix until completely combined. Once cupcakes are cool, transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a circle tip. Starting on the outside of the cakes, frosting circles going up as you pipe. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Serves 12
--Kim Cooper--
