Pom Chocolate Cupcakes

• Cupcakes:
• Jjuice from 2-3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates,* or 1 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water, heated to boiling
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (not wine vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Pomegranate Chocolate Frosting:
• juice from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate,* or cup POM Wonderful 100%
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 6-oz. package chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
• Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• Garnish: (Optional)
• 1 cup arils from 12 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates

1. Cupcakes:
2. 1.trepare garnish 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.)
3. 2.trepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
4. 3.treheat oven to 350F with rack in the center.
5. 4.tlace a paper baking cup in each of 24 regular sized muffin cups.
6. 5.thisk together the dry ingredients to combine well.
7. 6.tn a large measuring cup, combine pomegranate juice and boiling water.
8. 7.tdd oil, vinegar and vanilla to the pomegranate juice mixture.
9. 8.tdd to the flour mixture all at once and whisk to combine (batter will be lumpy).
10. 9.tivide the batter evenly among the muffin cups (about half full).
11. 10.take 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and free of crumbs.
12. 11.tet cool. Frost with pomegranate chocolate or vanilla cream cheese frosting and decorate with arils.
13. Pomegranate Chocolate Frosting:
14. 1.trepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
15. 2.tn a saucepan, bring pomegranate juice and butter to a boil.
16. 3.temove from heat; blend in chocolate chips.
17. 4.ttir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until frosting is of spreading consistency. If frosting is too stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to thin.
18. Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
19. 1.tith an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter.
20. 2.tdd vanilla, powdered sugar and milk, and beat until frosting is of spreading consistency.
21. *For 1 cup of juice, cut 2-3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.

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Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/pom-chocolate-cupcakes-50032689 (may not work)