Pistachio Cupcakes

Another classic cupcake recipe today, this time for cupcakes with a pistachio-flavoured sponge base and a pistachio nut icing (frosting) spread over the top. If you like these delicious little nuts (actually they are beans), then this recipe is for you.

This is, undoubtedly, on of my personal favourite cupcake recipes.

Pistachio Cupcakes

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

125g (4 oz) butter, softened
125g (4 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
150g (5 oz) self-raising flour
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g pistachio nuts, shelled and crushed

For the Topping:

175g (6 oz) pistachio nuts, shelled (and more to garnish)
200g (7 oz) butter
175g (6 oz) icing sugar
2 tsp milk

Method:

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition. Mix in the flour, milk and vanilla extract then gently stir in the crushed pistachio nuts.

Line the wells of a 12-well muffin tin with cupcake cases and divide the batter between these (fill them no more than 2/3 full). Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4) and bake for between 15 and 20 minutes, or until well risen and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the topping, turn the pistachio nuts into a blender and process until finely ground. Beat the butter until soft and creamy then beat in the icing sugar, ground pistachios and the milk. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth.

Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped nozzle, then pipe the icing (frosting) in swirls onto the tops of the cupcakes. Decorate each one with a crushed pistachio nut.

For even more cupcake recipes, why not visit the Celtnet Cupcake, Fairy Cake and Butterfly Cake information and recipes page?