Pomegranate takes the Iron (Cup)cake!

POM Wonderful is a hit at January’s Pomegranate Iron Cupcake Challenge!

The Pomegranate was January’s ingredient for contestants in the Iron Cupcake Challenge, sponsored by Kingdom Cake. Iron Cupcake is a Bay Area-based group comprised of local bakers and foodies who are given a new ingredient each month that they must incorporate into their cupcake creations. POM Wonderful provided our 100% pomegranate juice for guests at the tasting event where the top three winners were chosen.

Go here for images from the Iron Cupcake folks or to see the winning recipe by Alissa Lee ...

1st Place by Alissa Lee

Iron Cupcake: Lemon Cupcakes with Pomegranate-Blueberry Mousse Filling and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Lemon Cupcakes:

1 Box of Lemon Cake Mix
1 3.9 oz box of Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1 Cup Water
½ Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs

 Preheat oven to 350°. Mix water, oil and eggs on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add cake mix on low speed for about 2 minutes. Add pudding mix and continue to mix and additional 2 minutes. Batter will be thick.

 Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full and bake for 18-22 minutes (11-13 minutes for mini cupcakes). Allow to cool completely on wire rack before filling and frosting.

 Pomegranate-Blueberry Mousse Filling:

 4 cups POM Wonderful ®Pomegranate Blueberry Juice
½ Extra fine sugar
¼ Lemon juice
1 pint Heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
5 Egg whites

Mix juices and fine sugar in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 1 hour or until mixture has reduced to about 1 ¼ cups of liquid. Pour into a separate bowl, cover and chill in refrigerator.

Mix cream and powdered sugar in a chilled mix bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until still. Fold in whipped cream and 1 cup of juice reduction into egg whites. Gently mix until fully incorporated (Recommended use of Wilton™ 230 tip to fill cupcakes with mousse). Set aside remaining ¼ cup of juice reduction to drizzle over frosted cupcakes.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

3 sticks Butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp clear vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
Cream butter until fluffy and smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix on low. Add vanilla and milk. Beat on high until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Frost or pipe frosting on to cupcakes.