Chocolate Pistachio Cupcakes
Pistachio and chocolate dessert fans will love these chocolate pistachio cupcakes. The cupcakes are made with moist chocolate cupcakes, pistachio buttercream frosting, pistachio cream, and chopped pistachios. No instant pistachio pudding mix – just all natural pistachio flavor!
Ingredients for Chocolate Pistachio Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Dark cocoa powder – Use dark cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor. Substitute with dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Baking soda + baking powder
- Salt
- Buttermilk – Room temperature. You can also use my buttermilk substitute.
- Vegetable oil – You can also use canola oil or your favorite neutral baking oil.
- Egg – Large egg, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract.
- Hot brewed coffee – You can substitute with hot water, if preferred.
Pistachio Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Pistachio paste – Use pure pistachio paste for the most intense pistachio flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract + almond extract – A combination of pure vanilla extract and almond extract enhances the pistachio flavor.
- Salt – A pinch of salt provides contrast to the sweetness of the frosting.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream helps the pistachio frosting whip up to be smooth and creamy.
Additional Ingredients
- Pistachio cream – For drizzling onto the cupcakes. You could also use additional pistachio paste, if preferred.
- Salted pistachios – Roughly chopped pistachio nuts.
How to Make Chocolate Pistachio Cupcakes
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line cupcake pans with 14 cupcake liners.
- Make the cupcake batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the hot coffee and whisk gently until the batter is smooth.
- Bake the cupcakes: Portion the cupcake batter into the paper liners using a large cookie scoop (about 3/4 full). Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the buttercream: Whip the butter for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add in the pistachio paste and mix to combine. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and mix until combined. Drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Turn the mixer to medium and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the cupcakes: Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the pistachio buttercream. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Drizzle the cupcakes with pistachio cream and sprinkle with chopped salted pistachios.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips posts on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cupcakes and 10 Tips for Making Perfect Buttercream to learn simple tips and tricks to make the most out of this recipe.
- If you want to learn more about my favorite cupcake baking and decorating supplies, be sure to check out this post for more information.
- Learn how to frost cupcakes and my favorite piping tips for frosting cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the cupcakes?
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Can I use pistachio cream in the buttercream instead of pistachio paste?
- You can use pistachio cream, but you will not have as intense of a pistachio flavor. Definitely go with pistachio paste if you are able to. For the drizzle on the cupcakes, you can use pistachio cream or pistachio paste.
Can you taste the coffee in the chocolate cupcakes?
- No, you won’t be able to taste the coffee. The coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate, but I promise you won’t be able to taste it. If you prefer not to use coffee, simply substitute with hot water.
Other Recipes You Will Love
- Pistachio cupcakes
- Brown butter cupcakes
- Chocolate hazelnut cupcakes
- Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
- Apple cinnamon cupcakes
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Chocolate Pistachio Cupcakes
Yield: 14 cupcakes
Pistachio and chocolate dessert fans will love these chocolate pistachio cupcakes. The cupcakes are made with moist chocolate cupcakes, pistachio buttercream frosting, pistachio cream, and chopped pistachios. No instant pistachio pudding mix – just all natural pistachio flavor!
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (30 g) dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking soda
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot brewed coffee substitute with hot water
Pistachio Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup (41 g) pistachio paste
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) almond extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 2 tbsp (30 g) heavy cream
Additional Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (23 g) pistachio cream
- ¼ cup (31 g) chopped pistachios salted or unsalted
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line cupcake pans with 14 cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Pour in the hot coffee and gently whisk the batter until it is combined and smooth.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until the cupcakes bounces back when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pistachio Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add the pistachio paste and mix until well combined and smooth. Then, add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. While mixing on low speed, drizzle in the heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. To smooth out the buttercream and remove any air bubbles, mix the frosting on low speed for several minutes.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the pistachio buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled chocolate cupcakes. Fill another piping bag with the pistachio cream and drizzle the pistachio cream onto the cupcakes. If the pistachio cream is too thick, heat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Sprinkle the cupcakes with chopped pistachios.
Notes
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
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