“You’ve got dirt on your head” Wednesday & Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cupcakes

For anyone who’s curious about Lent, read the following… If not, check out the awesomely moist cupcakes at the end of the post.

It’s Ash Wednesday and every year, it never ceases to amaze me the funny things I hear from people.  For example:

• You’ve got dirt on your head.
• Where do you buy the ashes? (From someone who thought we put the ashes on ourselves)
• Oh no, please don’t tell me those ashes are from dead people. (No… they’re burned palms)
• What’s the point in the ashes?? (By the way, it’s just a reminder that we came from ashes and we’ll leave as ashes)
• Are you okay? (Because, obviously, my head was bruised haha)

These are just a few I heard this year… and my mom called to tell me about the “dirt on the forehead” example.  All I could do was laugh.

This year for Lent, I decided to add things as well as give things up, which I’ve never done before.  So, I’m going to:

• Quit gossiping. I try not to do it now, but I’ve realized how much more aware I am now. (Yes, after one day haha)
• Do at least one good deed a day.
• Make sure I don’t miss church.

That last one shouldn’t be on there because I should never miss church, but since I’ve been to college I haven’t been great about getting there every Sunday.

I found this funny website that gave “20 Weird Things to Give Up for Lent.”  I’m posting them below.  They’re from “Life Teen.”

• Don’t eat the last bite of your food
• Park at the very back of the parking lot
• Put a popcorn kernel in your shoe every day
• Don’t use your apps
• Get to know your neighbors
• Pray the “Hail Mary” and do an ab crunch for every single word
• Stop complaining and/or being negative
• Give up texting and call whoever you need to talk to
• Don’t use utensils
• Give away 10 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, and a pair of shoes
• When you wake up, jump out of bed, kiss the floor, and learn humility
• Wear the same 4 outfits for all of lent
• Everyday do 20 (or 100) pushups and offer it up for someone who’s sick
• Leave a post-it with a positive message on it wherever you go
• Cut out all screen-time (phone, TV, computer) after dinner
• Send a different person from the Life Teen Staff an affirmation email every day of Lent
• Don’t straighten or curl your hair
• Sit and stand up straight – don’t slouch!
• Every day take a picture of something or someone you’re grateful for and hang the pictures in your room.

So, if you’re struggling for ideas, you can thank Life Teen for the above help.

On to cupcakes!! I hope you didn’t give sweets up for Lent, because these are awesome! 

Thanks to the lovely people at POM Wonderful, I received a sample of their POM juice.  Although I drank most of the juice, I made sure to save the rest for this recipe.

The pomegranate flavor is almost unrecognizable, but the juice gives it moisture (these are extremely moist) and a hint of flavor.  The cupcakes aren’t overly sweet, which is why I topped them with my favorite white chocolate frosting.

Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cupcakes 

Adapted from: She Bakes Here

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 cup pomegranate juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a small measuring cup or bowl, combine oil, vanilla extract and vinegar. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture along with pomegranate juice.
4. Mix well, breaking up the flour clumps as you go.
5. Line your muffin tins with baking cup liners. Spoon the batter into the cups, only filling 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes, testing with a toothpick to ensure they have baking thoroughly.
6. Frost with your favorite frosting, or mine, which is here: How Sweet Eats.