Pomegranate Jam Filled Cupcakes With Pomegrante Chantilly

Photo: Jo Ann

Ingredients

Ingredients for Cupcake Batter:

1 box white cake mix

1 package (3 ounce) instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

Ingredients for Pomegranate Jam:

1 medium Braeburn apple

1 1/2 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

12 fresh or frozen cranberries

Ingredients for Pomegranate Chantilly:

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Directions:

Line cupcake tin with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil together. Blend till smooth. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Directions for pomegranate jam:

Grate enough of the apple (including the peel) to yield 3/4 cup. In a medium saucepan, bring the grated apple, pomegranate juice, sugar and cranberries to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, covered until the apple is softened and the mixture has thickened a little, about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally at first and then constantly toward the end, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is reduce to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes.

With a rubber spatula, press the pulp through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl until you can't get any more juice out of the pulp. Scrape all the juice clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the bowl and discard the pulp in the strainer.

Directions for Pomegranate Chantilly:

Pour pomegranate juice into saucepan, simmer until reduced down to 1/4 cup. Set aside to cool.

Cut a small cone shape in each cupcake, remove and then spoon about 1 teaspoon of pomegranate jam into hole. Replace cupcake cone.

Pour heavy cream in a large bowl. Whip until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar and cooled pomegranate juice. Whip until you have stiff peaks. Pipe onto cupcakes.