I woke up yesterday morning to crispness, to a tinge of fall in an otherwise summer-like landscape. Opening the front door of our apartment, I felt goosebumps crawl up my legs, and I let my arms wrap themselves around me. Living in Austin, I've found fall to be a bit delayed this year (to say the very least), and so yesterday morning, its cool greeting sent a shock of pleasure down my spine.
One pot of cinnamon apple tea kept me warm as I wrote and graded papers. I sipped on my tall brown mug, imaging the giant trees outside my kitchen window allowing their leaves to turn from green to golden brown.
And because I think that food should mirror our worlds, both internal and external, I knew it was time for a change.
Pumpkin has made its arrival.
To me, there is nothing more comforting, more warming than a thick slice of pumpkin bread slathered with almond butter or a dab of cream cheese. To me, there is nothing more fall-like than that quintessential October squash, round and vibrant, loud in its demands to be seen and enjoyed.
And so after Fall greeted me with her brisk, refreshing embrace, I opened a can of pumpkin, and the days of fall-baking began.
One pot of cinnamon apple tea kept me warm as I wrote and graded papers. I sipped on my tall brown mug, imaging the giant trees outside my kitchen window allowing their leaves to turn from green to golden brown.
And because I think that food should mirror our worlds, both internal and external, I knew it was time for a change.
Pumpkin has made its arrival.
To me, there is nothing more comforting, more warming than a thick slice of pumpkin bread slathered with almond butter or a dab of cream cheese. To me, there is nothing more fall-like than that quintessential October squash, round and vibrant, loud in its demands to be seen and enjoyed.
And so after Fall greeted me with her brisk, refreshing embrace, I opened a can of pumpkin, and the days of fall-baking began.
Last week while sitting in class, one of my peers snacked on a bowl full of Pomegranate seeds--those petite pockets of pleasure popping into her mouth, one after the next. Although I should have been paging through John Cheever's short story, I found my eyes returning to her bowl, again and again.
I have to do something with those seeds, I thought, and so I brainstormed over the weekend and came up with this recipe on Monday night.
Pomegranates have always reminded me of deep Fall and Christmas. The seeds are both sweet and slightly tart, almost like a miniature cranberry (with an added dose of sugar). I knew that I wanted to meld the flavor of Pomegranate with another fall flavor, and so I turned to the pumpkin, the squash who has yet to let me down.
To make matters better, POM Wonderful had been kind enough to send me samples of their juice a few days previous. Two delightful bottles of that deeply hued liquid were immediately enjoyed! But I reserved the remaining 4 for baking and cooking, and I knew the juice could work its way into my cupcake creation as well.
I adapted one of my favorite Pumpkin recipes by replacing the water with the POM juice, and by decorating the tops of my cupcakes with a simple powdered sugar glaze and a generous helping of Pomegranate seeds. The results were delightful. I felt like fall had curled up inside my muffin tins.
I have to do something with those seeds, I thought, and so I brainstormed over the weekend and came up with this recipe on Monday night.
Pomegranates have always reminded me of deep Fall and Christmas. The seeds are both sweet and slightly tart, almost like a miniature cranberry (with an added dose of sugar). I knew that I wanted to meld the flavor of Pomegranate with another fall flavor, and so I turned to the pumpkin, the squash who has yet to let me down.
To make matters better, POM Wonderful had been kind enough to send me samples of their juice a few days previous. Two delightful bottles of that deeply hued liquid were immediately enjoyed! But I reserved the remaining 4 for baking and cooking, and I knew the juice could work its way into my cupcake creation as well.
I adapted one of my favorite Pumpkin recipes by replacing the water with the POM juice, and by decorating the tops of my cupcakes with a simple powdered sugar glaze and a generous helping of Pomegranate seeds. The results were delightful. I felt like fall had curled up inside my muffin tins.
I hope you enjoy these muffins as much as I did. Thank you again to everyone who has already voted for me; your kind words and support are truly touching! Today is the last day to vote for my entry in round 2, and I have high hopes that through your support, I can make it to round 3! If you haven't already, please consider traveling over to Foodbuzz to cast a vote in my favor. I hope that your weekend is full of Fall joy!
Pumpkin Pomegranate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
A dash of nutmeg and cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup POM juice
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease a 12 tin muffin pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together your flour, soda, powder, spices and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat your sugars and oil with an electric mixer. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in your pumpkin and POM juice and mix until fully incorporated.
3. Gradually stir your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients, being sure to not over mix your batter. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, fill your muffin tins with batter.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.
5. Decorate you cupcakes with a simple powdered sugar swirl (1 cup powdered sugar + 1 TBSP milk or cream) and top with pomegranate seeds.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Pumpkin Pomegranate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
A dash of nutmeg and cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup POM juice
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease a 12 tin muffin pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together your flour, soda, powder, spices and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat your sugars and oil with an electric mixer. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in your pumpkin and POM juice and mix until fully incorporated.
3. Gradually stir your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients, being sure to not over mix your batter. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, fill your muffin tins with batter.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.
5. Decorate you cupcakes with a simple powdered sugar swirl (1 cup powdered sugar + 1 TBSP milk or cream) and top with pomegranate seeds.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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