Each year I look forward to our Playgroup Summer Potluck, where we celebrate each year since having our first children. Our Playgroup was introduced at the hospital and nearly nine years later, we are still friends. It's fun to see the kids playing together, remembering when they were tiny babies.
I signed up to bring the cupcakes. I swung open the fridge and was instantly inspired by the cute little bottle of POM Pomegranate Blueberry juice, the ripe bananas waiting patiently in my fruit bowl, and a Bob's Redmill Chocolate Cake Gluten Free recipe. I made my own modifications and a brand new cupcake emerged.
Pomegranate Banana Chocolate Cupcakes with Pomegranate Blueberry Frosting:
NO gluten, dairy, egg, soy or nuts
Makes 12 cupcakes (Recipe can be doubled.)
Dry Ingredients:
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
3/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 banana, pureed with 1 tsp baking powder
1 cup Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Sugar (You can also use brown sugar or other sweetener in same amount.) I get mine at Costco.
1/2 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/4 cup POM Pomegranate Blueberry juice.
3 tbsp. coffee (to enhance the chocolate flavor) or 3 more tbsp. POM juice.
Optional: Marshmallow Fluff can be used for the inside of the cupcakes if you and your guests can tollerate egg whites. You can also get rice whip by searching on Amazon.com.
Directions:
Puree (by hand or in a blender or mixer) 1 medium to large size banana with 1 tsp baking powder and set aside in your refrigerator.
In Kitchenaid or other mixing bowl add oil, sugar and mix on high speed until combined and the oil is emulsified.
Add to the mixer, the banana puree mixture, So Delicious Coconut Milk, vanilla, and POM juice. Add coffee or additional tablespoons of POM if desired.
In a seperate bowl combine your dry ingredients with a whisk.
Add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients a bit at a time until well combined.
Fill a cupcake pan with cupcake papers.
Scoop 1/4 of batter into each cupcake paper.
Bake at 350 for approximately 15 - 18 minutes, or until a tootpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Cooking time will depend on your oven so watch closely.
Remove cupcakes immediately from baking pan and allow to cool on a cooking rack.
Optional: (Marshmallow Fluff contains egg whites.): Once cupcakes have cooled completely, fill a sandwich bag with Marshmallow Fluff, cut the tip of one of the corners, poke a hole in the center of the cupcake with a gloved finger, and fill each hole with the Marshmallow Fluff. Frost the top of the cupcakes with Pomegranate Blueberry Frosting, recipe follows.
Pomegranate Blueberry Frosting: gluten, dairy, egg, and soy free
4 cups - up to 2 lbs/32 oz bag of Powdered Sugar
2 tbsp - up to 4 tbsp Earth Balance Soy Free
2 ounces - up to 4 ounces POM Pomegranate Blueberry juice.
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp creme of tartar
Directions:
In your mixer bowl first add your Earth Balance Soy Free, vanilla, and powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Add your POM juice until you've obtained your desired consistency.
If the texture is too liquidy, add more powdered sugar.
I used a spreader to spread the frosting on, so I didn't pipe on too much, and then gently dipped and turned each cupcake in a bowl filled with India Tree Natural Decorating Sugar.
