A baking question

Posted by Stacie Joy on April 10, 2009

For my mammoth 100+ cupcake baking challenge, I made pomegranate frosting with the quite tasty POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. I followed the recipe (not the one I linked to) exactly, that is:

16 ounces cream cheese
8 tablespoons sweet butter
5 tablespoons POM Wonderful juice
confectioners sugar to taste (I used about 1.5 pounds)

I would have added more sugar to get it stiffer, but I couldn't take any more sweetness (it would have been a glucose tolerance test!). Any suggestions? The cinnamon cream cheese, lemon zest cream cheese and plain versions all stood up fine.

Thanks!!

Comments

Julia from Dozen Flours said…

Perhaps you could try adding some melted, cooled white chocolate. This will add some sweetness but it will be less in-your-face sweet. More mellow...

4/10/2009 1:17 AM

Ellen said…

How about reducing the pomegranate juice (simmering it until it's more syrup-y) before you add it? It's all about less water, and not over-beating it. Have everything at room temp so you don't have to mix long.

4/10/2009 3:32 AM

deanna said…

Try reducing it. The difference with the other frostings you made and this is the fact that the other ones didn't add a liquid ingredient. Once you add a liquid as a flavor you have to compensate for the added moisture, and liquid in the recipe. Maybe even add a little more cream cheese? Also you could use salted butter, not sweet.

4/10/2009 8:39 AM

Liz said…

What about adding vanilla extract. I've found that it can cut through the sweetness and it also adds depth to the flavor. You really can't go wrong with adding vanilla to frostings!
Also, what if you tried using regular butter instead of sweetened butter?
Let us know what you do!

4/10/2009 9:36 AM

Sugar Flower Cupcakes said…

I've never tried it (only in sauces and soups), but cornstarch used to thicken things. I would believe this would work since it's virtually tasteless and especially since confectioners sugar is part cornstarch. I've never tried it though; it just makes sense to me...

Also, since my husband isn't that crazy about cream cheese frosting he makes it by adjusting the butter to cream cheese 2:1 and creams them together. And it's just enough cream cheese flavor for him (I love anything cream cheese and it works for me too).

He also says to allow the both the butter and cream cheese to come to room temp. but not to allow it to become too soft.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you try anything new!

4/10/2009 9:39 AM

peachfish said…

I think that's just a lot of liquid to add to cream cheese frosting, cream cheese frosting can get runny VERY easily. You could sub some shortening for some of the cream cheese and some of the butter and that may help stabilize it. But honestly, as another person mentioned, I would reduce the pom juice to a syrup and then use that to flavor it.

4/10/2009 10:04 AM

The Sweet Escape Patisserie said…

I recomend using pomegrante molasses it's made from pomegrante juice cooked until thick so the flavour is really concentrated. you can find it in middle eastern grocery stores

4/10/2009 11:11 AM

Amy said…

Perhaps try to make a reduction with the juice so there is less liquid going into the frosting. :)

4/10/2009 4:00 PM

Stacie Joy said…

Thank you all for your suggestions. I think I will try to pomegranate syrup (either boiling it down or buying it pre-boiled) for the next time. I don't think cornstarch would work because you need to boil it to get the thickening power, and def. wouldn't add vanilla because it would just make it runnier (no more liquids). I might also try the melted cooled white chocolate. I'll keep y'all posted -- and again, thanks for your tips!! They are much appreciated.

4/10/2009 4:02 PM