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Amazingly tender, melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes with a fun swirl of raspberry pomegranate syrup hidden inside. And there's an all butter icing that's super creamy with a delicious hint of raspberry and pomegranate flavors.
These Raspberry Pomegranate Swirl Cupcakes are based on my Best Vanilla Cupcakes and Buttercream Recipe, super tender melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes, and a delicious icing with just a touch of cream cheese. This recipe was the final result of a long quest to find the perfect yellow cake recipe. To me, this is what a really good wedding cake should taste like.
In celebration of pomegranate season, I combined raspberry jam and fresh pomegranate arils in a sauce pan and simmered the mixture for 15 minutes. Then I strained out the seeds and pulp, resulting in a delicious pomegranate-raspberry syrup. The syrup is simply drizzled over the cupcake batter right before they head to the oven. A quick swirl with a small knife or skewer and you've got a fabulous tasting cupcake with a beautiful splash of color.
For the icing, I saved a bit of the pomegranate-raspberry syrup and used a two-tone technique that is explained in the recipe below. If you're in a hurry, or don't feel like fussing with a decorating bag, just add the raspberry-pomegranate syrup to the entire bowl of buttercream and frost the cupcakes with a knife. Believe me, they'll still be extremely well received! They've definitely been a hit here at The Café!
Give these Raspberry Pomegranate Swirl Cupcakes a try, I think they may become a seasonal favorite!
Amazingly tender, melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes with a fun swirl of raspberry pomegranate syrup hidden inside. And there's an all butter icing that's super creamy with a delicious hint of raspberry and pomegranate flavors.
- For the raspberry-pomegranate syrup:
- 1 cup raspberry jam use your favorite
- ½ cup pomegranate arils or seeds*
- For the cupcake batter:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup cake flour
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter not softened but remove from refridg and allow to warm for about 15 minutes
- 4 large eggs
- For the Buttercream:
- 8 ounces butter softened
- 2 ounces cream cheese or Neufchâtel softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons half & half
- 2 tablespoons reserved raspberry-pomegranate syrup
-
For the raspberry-pomegranate syrup, set a fine mesh strainer over a medium size bowl. Set aside.
-
Combine raspberry jam and pomegranate arils in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour mixture into prepared strainer. Push on solids with the back of a spoon to extract all of the liquid. Return strained liquid to the sauce pan and simmer for another 5 minutes or until syrupy and reduced to ⅔ cup. Set syrup aside to cool. Discard seeds and pulp.
-
For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350° Line cupcake pans with 32 cupcake liners. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup and set aside. Break eggs into a small bowl and set aside.
-
Place the cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of stand mixer and stir together for 30 seconds using mixer paddle attachment.
-
With mixer on low, drop in butter, a few cubes at a time, continuing until all butter is in and mixture resembles coarse sand.
-
Add eggs one at a time on low speed. With mixer still on low slowly pour in milk and vanilla. Turn mixer to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
-
Scoop batter into cupcake liners filling cups with about ¼ cup each. Cups will be just slightly over half full - don't be tempted to over-fill. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the raspberry pomegranate syrup for the icing. Drizzle the remainder of the syrup over the batter filled cupcake liners, dividing evenly. Swirl syrup with a skewer or small, thin knife in a circular pattern.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes or until centers are set and toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
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For the buttercream, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whip the butter until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. I like to use the whisk attachment for my mixer.
-
Reduce speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once the powdered sugar is pretty well incorporated, increase speed to medium high and beat for1 minute. Mixture will be quite thick.
-
Stop the mixer, scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the other 3 cups of powdered sugar. Start out on slow speed again until sugar is mixed in the increase to medium high and beat for another minute. Mixture will be very thick.
-
Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon half and half* (see below for two-tone icing) and beat for two to 3-4 minutes until nice creamy consistency is reached. You made need to add more half and half, just a teaspoonful at a time, until desired consistency is reached. You want a creamy, but fairly stiff consistency for piping.
-
For two tone icing, remove ½ cup of the buttercream to a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the raspberry pomegranate syrup. Stir well to combine. See notes for piping tips.
-
If you prefer a solid color raspberry pomegranate buttercream, replace the half and half with the raspberry pomegranate syrup and proceed as directed above.
For the cupcakes pictured, I used a Wilton 104 petal tip and a two-tone technique. I used a pomegranate aril in the center but you could also use cake sprinkles or decorating balls (dragees).
I found several helpful tutorials for piping the cupcakes. This Two-Tone Buttercream Rose Cupcake Tutorial was great in explaining how to fill the decorating bag to achieve the color tinged petals. For the flower technique itself, I followed this Buttercream Flower Cupcake Tutorial. I used the fourth technique that was demonstrated.
Jane says
Are you sure this recipe for raspberry pomegranate swirl cupcakes takes 9 hours and 13 minutes? I couldn't figure out how it takes that long. If I've missed something somehow, please let me know. Thanks. Btw these are scrumptious looking cupcakes.
Chris Scheuer says
one now,.!You're right, Jane. It doesn't take nearly that long!
A while back, I changed recipe plug-ins and it messed up all my times. I've been slowly going back and correcting the recipes but, with over 1500 recipes on the site, it takes quite a while!
I'll correct this one now!
Melissa says
I'm gonna say these cupcakes!! They look delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
They're hard to beat Melissa!
Kas Rainer says
I really could have used this mixer tonight as I have been making delicious Pink lemonade cupcakes for my daughter's DIG PINK VOLLEYBALL bake sale to raise awareness for Breast Cancer tomorrow. I can't wait to see the girls in the bright PINK shirts that I ordered for them as a surprise! Next year, I plan to make Pink Ribbon Cookie Dough Truffles so a new mixer would be great!
Chris Scheuer says
Such good ideas Kas! And such a worthy cause.
Thomas Murphy says
I would make chocolate cake!
Chris Scheuer says
Yum! Sounds classically delicious Thomas!
Toni says
A jumbo chocolate chip cookie!!
Chris Scheuer says
I love it Toni!
Deborah G. says
I would make chocolate cupcakes first, with chocolate frosting!
Chris Scheuer says
They are so good, aren't they Deborah?
Amanda Sakovitz says
Id make red velvet cupcakes.
Chris Scheuer says
You can't beat them Amanda! So rich and decadent! Yum!
MJ Moore says
I'd make something involving egg whites, like meringue cookies!
Chris Scheuer says
Sounds absolutely heavenly!
Deborah G. says
I would make chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting first, we are chocoholics in my house!
Chris Scheuer says
We are too Deborah! That's why we've started doing some work for Green and Black's, chocolate is so good and so versatile!
Tara says
I can't begin to think what I'd make, according to the day & time. Those cupcakes are gorgeous!
Matt says
Perhaps some chocolate chip cookies!
V Clarkson says
I would use the mixer to make fresh bread.
Ty says
I would make some pink holiday gingerbread men and women!
laurie says
I would MAKE my family happy!! deserts deserts deserts!! probably choc chip cookies because thats what the grandkids ask for everytime they come over.
Bonnie says
Any one of your delicious recipes.
roz b says
I would make cookies!!
Mirian says
The first thing I'd make if I won this beautiful mixer would be my tres leche cake recipe!
Vero M says
I would love to bake pumpkin spice or coconut cupcakes!
Kay Standefer says
As I just shelled pomegranates with my grandsons & put 7 gallon-sized bags full of arils in the fridge - and that's only about a third of them so far - I'm sure I'll need to do a batch of these pretty cupcakes.... followed by some pink-tinted meringue cookies. I've never had a stand mixer and as I just retired from teaching, I've got more time than I know what to do with - fill it with baking! Thank you for the opportunity as well as ;your wonderful recipe.
Kate says
I would make a seedy whole grain bread and package it up in pink cellophane with a pink ribbon.... and present it to my DIL, Kim, with the mixer!
She doesn't have a mixer and it would be wonderful to gift her with this beautiful color as well as a sweet remembrance of friends who have "beat" breast cancer with the grace of God!
I signed up to enter through the following of your blog but my mobile app wouldn't let me comment, so I am back now.
Thanks for a great giveaway AND a simply gorgeous cupcake recipe.
Linda Hunt says
Hey Chris, As you know, I've been one of your biggest fans and love making your recipes; especially cupcakes. I have a little ministry that I make beautiful cupcakes that you post and then I decorate them, put them in pretty boxes and take to those who are ill, those who have lost loved ones or someone who needs a little love. I also take six boxes into Winston-Salem and give out to homeless. My Kitchen Aide is 35 years old and I could sure use a new one and would be so blessed. Thank you.
Tina W says
I would make a homemade pizza dough for dinner, and then some cupcakes for dessert. (Pomegranate only for me, I'm allergic to raspberries)
Renee C. says
Not even gonna lie, Chris, I'm pretty sure the first thing I'd make would be cupcakes. With a pink mixer, I don't think I could use it for anything other than making sweets! ???? Thanks for the chance to win.