POM Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

It's NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE Day!!

Yes, they really do have a food holiday for everyday of the year!

I made a whole bunch of cupcakes for my twin daughters 18th birthday party! Here is just the first one of the four different flavors I made. Of course, complete with all different kinds of frostings. I am so happy to make all the different frostings, so that we were able to taste them all on the same day at the same time. I have really found my favorites now. Watch in the coming weeks as I unveil all of the cupcakes and my NEW favorite frosting recipes.

Here is the first cupcake with POM juice one of my twins favorite juice. The cupcakes were great, moist and chocolate'y but they do not have a POM flavor, but non-the less they were delicious especially with this new A-MAZ-ING White Chocolate frosting, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE.

P.S. And my cupcake decorating skills are getting better and better! :-)
I actually do not have flat cupcakes, anymore! YAHOOO!!!

POM Chocolate Cupcakes
originally found on Lick the Bowl Good

1/4 cup POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water, heated to boiling
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Place a paper baking cup in regular sized muffin tin; set aside. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large measuring cup, combine pomegranate juice and boiling water. Add oil, vinegar and vanilla to the pomegranate juice mixture.

Add to the flour mixture all at once to the wet mixture and whisk to combine (batter will be lumpy). Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups (about 3/4 full).

Bake 20-24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before topping with the frosting. I used my new White Chocolate Buttercream frosting from Magnolia Bakery in New York City.

This recipe only make about 7 regular cupcakes, so double it if you need more!

WOW, WOW, WOW, this frosting is A-MAZ-ING (I already said that I know, but it really is)! I just love white chocolate and have tried a few other frosting recipes, but none are as good as this one. I found this recipe in my newest cookbook from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, that I bought myself in New York City. We discovered this bakery in New York and of course enjoyed a few cupcakes while we were there.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, New York City

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp milk
9 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted powdered sugar

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk carefully and bet until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and desired consistency.

Freezer Tip: I have tried it and it REALLY works! If you have left over cupcakes, store them in a tupperware-type container with the frosting on them and freeze. When you are ready to serve, defrost them to room temperature and serve. They taste just like they were made that day! What a great way to store homemade left over cupcakes from a birthday party or event.