Pistachio Cupcakes

There are so many reasons why I love these Pistachio Cupcakes, starting with their nostalgic bygone green and red appearance (perfect for any Bridgerton party!) and ending with how delicious they are!

If you're looking for more pistachio recipes, don't miss this Pistachio Tiramisu or these Pistachio Muffins made with a pistachio nut butter center.

This recipe is for buttery, fluffy cupcakes flavored with real pistachios and vanilla. The cupcakes are cored out after baking and filled with a raspberry purée before being swirled high with a fluffy cream cheese and pistachio frosting. 

If you love trying new cupcake flavours, have a look at this recipe for Raspberry and White Chocolate Cupcakes or this one for Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes. 

Variations

This recipe for pistachio cupcakes is delicious as outlined in this post, but you may want to try decorating these cupcakes with other frosting flavors. Try this Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting, this Strawberry Buttercream, or this delicious Chocolate Frosting with Melted Chocolate.

Key Ingredients

• Unsalted butter - used in the cupcake batter and the frosting. Make sure you use unsalted, room-temperature butter for the best results. 
• Sour cream - use full-fat sour cream for this recipe; it adds richness and moisture to these pistachio cupcakes. If you don't have sour cream, use full-fat Greek yogurt instead. 
• Cream cheese - use full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. There are lots of different brands to choose from, but I like using Philadelphia cream cheese. 
• Pistachio butter - I used store-bought smooth pistachio butter, also called pistachio paste. If you have a high-powered food processor, you can make your own pistachio paste with shelled raw pistachios. 
• Green food coloring - since this recipe uses natural pistachio flavor rather than instant pistachio pudding mix, it doesn't have a deep green color. For aesthetics, you can choose to add a touch of green food coloring to the frosting. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Pistachio Cupcakes

Pistachio Cupcakes 

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 22 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans. Add the superfine sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl and use the tips of your fingers to massage the lemon zest into the sugar.

2. Step 2: Add the butter and lemon sugar mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes. 

3. Step 3: Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.

4. Step 4: Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and flour mixture to the cupcake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the sour cream. Add the pistachios to the cupcake batter and mix through with a rubber spatula.

5. Step 5: Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners two-thirds of the way up the liner.

6. Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until a light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. 

Raspberry Filling

1. Step 1: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the fresh raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Allow the fruit to soften and the sugar to melt. Stir occasionally with a spatula and press the fruit against the sides of the saucepan to help them break down if needed.

2. Step 2: Once the sugar is melted and the purée has thickened, allow the mashed raspberry purée to cool to room temperature. Add this to a piping bag.

Raspberry Buttercream

1. Step 1: Add the icing sugar and softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Step 2: Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 2 minutes.

3. Step 3: Add the pistachio butter and vanilla extract to the frosting and beat again until combined. Add a tiny drop of green food coloring to the frosting and beat again. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle.

4. Step 4: Use a cupcake or apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake, fill the center with the raspberry puree, and then pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake. Decorate with crushed pistachios and fresh raspberries.

Storage

Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly, so try to frost them the same day they are baked. If you don't have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day you bake them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays with plastic wrap until the next day.

For any leftover filled and frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. Choose to store these cupcakes in the refrigerator because of the fresh fruit on and inside the cupcakes.

More Nutty Dessert Recipes

Arriving with a tray of cupcakes might be my favorite party trick, and these cupcakes are always a win! If you're looking for other cupcake recipes to impress, try these Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes or these delicious Passionfruit Cupcakes.