Memories of desserts at my cousins' home in Johns Creek, Georgia, inspired me to create these subtly sweet cupcakes topped with a few pomegranate arils for a bright, all-natural "sprinkle."
Ingredients
- flour: 1 cup
- unsweetened cocoa powder: 0.5 cup
- baking powder: 0.75 tsp
- baking soda: 0.5 tsp
- salt: 0.25 tsp
- unsalted butter: 0.5 cup (softened)
- sugar: 0.75 cup
- light brown sugar: 0.25 cup
- eggs: 2 piece
- vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- whole milk: 0.75 cup
- cream cheese: 1 pack (8 ounce pack, softened)
- unsalted butter: 0.5 cup (softened)
- powdered sugar: 4 cups
- Pomegranate seeds: (for garnish)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line one 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
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Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
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Beat together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 90 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
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Beat in flour mixture one-third at a time, alternating with 1/4 cup milk, on low speed until just combined. Fill each prepared muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter
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Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low; add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until frosting is smooth.
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Fit a piping bag with a large star or round tip and fill with frosting. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Garnish with pomegranate arils. Serve immediately or store, chilled, in an airtight container up to 1 week.
