Food for My Family

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Pomegranate and Lime Olive Oil Yogurt Cupcakes

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A recipe for yogurt and olive oil cupcakes lightly flavored with lime and topped with brilliant pomegranate arils and buttercream or just a simple pomegranate honey syrup.



“Is anyone this girl’s mom?” the salesperson asked, staring around the shoe store. He was referring, of course, to my daughter, who at this moment was standing, hands on her hips, in front of a display of TOMS shoes, eying the ones that sparkled and shone.

On her head was a bright blue bomber hat to accent the brown puffy down vest covered in brilliantly-colored butterflies. Skinny jeans and pink flip-flops completed the ensemble, but not before a single toe sock graced one foot and leg, all the way to her knee. Her eyes glinting with the prospects of owning a pair of sequin-encrusted shoes, she was oblivious to the salesman’s distress.

“I’m her mom,” I replied, already anticipating the question that was to follow.

“Oh, I was just wondering if that’s her sock or if she found it in the store.”

Barely letting him finish, I laughed to myself and replied, “Yes, and she’s only wearing one of them.”

My youngest daughter is already the stuff of legend, the kind of girl that catches people’s attention even when she is completely unaware of the effect, or all too well aware and seemingly unconcerned. The bits of crazy and unconventional in her persona mix alongside an often soft-spoken young lady with plenty of poise.

I eagerly anticipate the person she’s becoming, and my greatest fear in parenting her is that I’ll squash the sagacious imagination, the cunning cleverness that oozes out of her every pore, the sprightly sarcasm she picked up at too young an age. I worry that self-doubt will somehow grab hold of her, and so I push her to be herself in the face of life. It’s the same wish I hold for all of my children.

So I encourage them to experiment, to build and create, to tear down invisible walls, and wear single toe socks with their flip-flops. I hope the biggest hopes for them, and I dare not share my wildest dreams lest they be confused with theirs. Sometimes I fail as a parent, and I tell them that it’s my failure, for we are all human. I want to teach them that it’s okay to own up to the mistakes you’ve made so that you may learn from them and move forward. I watch as they make their own.

I sing with them and let them eat popcorn for dinner when dad is away. We let them scoop pumpkins and carve faces, and we delight in the finished products with their crooked smiles and the marker that still showed on the smooth orange surface.

I say no sometimes as often as I say yes, but never without explanation. I read stories and explain answers to questions. And I love. Even when it does not feel like it’s enough, I trust that it is and that it will be.


It’s hard to miss Kristan from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen when you’re in the same room. The glitter and glam is sure to catch your eye and make you smile, and the spice, well, that’s the best part. Kristan is welcoming in her own daughter soon, who I’m sure will prove to be every bit as spirited as Kristan herself, and you know Lucy’ll have plenty of her momma’s glitter. We’re throwing a cupcake party to celebrate. Be sure to see what everyone else is bringing to the party!

Cookies and Cups | Zebra Cake Cupcakes
The Hungry Housewife  | White Cupcakes 
She Wears Many Hats |  Pretty in Pink Party Marshmallows
Two Peas and Their Pod | Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Bluebonnets and Brownies |  Apple Cider Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
My Baking Addiction | Sugar and Spice Cupcakes
Picky Palate | Pumpkin Brownie Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Blooming on Bainbridge | Twinkie Cupcakes with Pink Cherry Frosting
Bakingdom |  Homemade Twinkie Cupcakes
Sprinkle Bakes | Princess Torte Cupcakes
Glorious Treats | Sweet Baby Cupcakes with Easy Fondant Toppers
Sweet Sugarbelle | Damask Cookies
Buns In My Oven | Maple Cupcakes with Maple Frosting
Dine and Dish | Neapolitan Cream Filled Cupcakes
Chocolate and Carrots | Whole Wheat Chocolate Cupcakes
Bake at 350 | Little Pumpkin Cupcakes
Living Locurto | Baby Shower Printables (coming soon)

Cupcakes like my daughter: Impossible to ignore and complexity hidden within. Subtly sweet and rich, these olive oil and yogurt cakes have all the makings of an everyday snack cake, but they sing of something far more special. Go ahead and skip the buttercream and just give them a slight dusting of powdered sugar for a late afternoon treat.

2 cups all-purpose flour or ground soft white wheat berries
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup Greek yogurt (low or full fat)
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup sugar or palm/maple sugar
2 limes, zested and juiced
2 eggs
Pomegranate Buttercream or Pomegranate Honey Syrup (recipes below)

Preheat the oven to 350º F. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, sugar, the zest from one lime, and 1/4 cup of lime juice. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Sift the flour mixture into the yogurt bowl. Stir until the flour is just combined. Scoop the batter into 14 cupcake liners to fill 2/3 full. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until tops spring back. Remove from oven and cool completely before topping with buttercream, syrup, or simply dusting with powdered sugar.


Pomegranate Buttercream Frosting
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 – 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, reduce the pomegranate juice by half over medium heat. Set aside to cool.

Mix together the butter and 2 1/2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar. Beat until creamy. Stir in the vanilla. Slowly add the reduced pomegranate juice. Add more sugar if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.


Pomegranate Honey Syrup
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup light-flavored raw honey

In a medium saucepan combine the pomegranate juice and the honey. Heat over medium heat until the mixture boils, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook until the liquid has been reduced by half. Allow to cool slightly. Mixture will thicken as it cools.


Makes 14 Pomegranate and Lime Olive Oil Yogurt Cupcakes.
Copyright © Food for My Family.

The October Unprocessed version of these cupcakes is made with a soft whole wheat flour, sweetened with natural sweeteners, and gets drizzled with the pomegranate honey syrup and a few pomegranate arils. It may even be eaten for breakfast when there is no one around to question.

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Comments

  1. Why is it we do things like “popcorn for dinner” when dad’s not home? hehe

    You’re such a great mom Shaina, I know so many have a hard time letting their kids out the door dressed the way they want to dress!

    and these cupcakes…….kinda blow my mind!

    Happy Shower day Kristan!!

  7. You’re such a good mama. I have a girl of my own who I worry very much about losing her sparkle, her crazy, and her hilarious sense of sarcasm.

    Love these cupcakes. And you’re totally right – Lucy is going to be full of sparkle!

  9. Hey, I eat popcorn for dinner (and lunch) on a regular basis! I totally understand your fears about your daughter losing her verve as she gets older – and I’m sure there will be hard times, because being a teenager is never smooth sailing – but I have complete faith that she’ll retain her singular “selfness” and it will serve her well in life. From one dreamy weirdo to another….

    • Popcorn for dinner is a legitimate meal. I do hope that her “selfness” remains in tact as we navigate this together. I would hate to see it squashed. Dreamy weirdos are the best kind.

  13. Shaina, I just love you. This is too sweet.

    I truly hope I can manage my daughter with the balance of fun and grace that you’ve obviously mastered. Thank you so much for the sweet celebration — you made my day!!

    • Mastered I have not. I’m just wading through the swamp and hoping we all come out the other side. I trip and fall plenty. I can’t wait to meet your little girl, Kristan! You’ll be a great mom to her, and I can’t wait to see how she shines. xoxo

  18. Delighted to meet you.
    Precious things that you mentioned and I just love seeing your precious daughter baking these cupcakes.
    Which by the way~look amazing!
    Love it that you baked with pomegranted. I’m positive I DID NOT spell that right! 😉
    xo

  22. You are a wonderful mom Shaina – your kids are so fortunate. It is an incredible gift to have children, such a big responsibility, but so neat to see them evolve into young adults. I just love these cupcakes you made for Kristan – so pretty!

  23. It’s been so fun seeing all of the fun cupcakes brought to the Virtual Shower for sweet baby Lucy! We would love to have you share your yummy recipe on our Strut Your Stuff Saturday link party! We hope to hear from you soon! -The Six Sisters

  40. What an incredible girl you have – and I think she’s awfully lucky to have a mother who can see all that potential! May she keep her verve forever and ever. And the cupcakes sound incredible – a combination I’d never have thought of but I sure am glad you did.

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