Pistachio Cupcakes
These pistachio cupcakes are the ultimate pistachio lovers dessert. The cupcakes are made with moist and tender pistachio cake, frosted with pistachio buttercream frosting, drizzled with pistachio cream, and sprinkled with chopped pistachios. No instant pistachio pudding mix in this cupcake recipe – just natural pistachio flavor.
Ingredients for Pistachio Cupcakes
Pistachio Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Vegetable oil – Use your favorite neutral baking oil.
- Egg – Large egg, room temperature.
- Sour cream – Room temperature. Substitute with plain Greek yogurt.
- Vanilla extract + almond extract – This combination of extracts enhances the pistachio flavor of the cupcakes.
- Milk – Room temperature.
- Pistachios – Unsalted or salted pistachios, very finely ground.
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.
How to Make 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 all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cream the granulated sugar, butter, and vegetable oil until combined and smooth. Add the egg, sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix well. Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, mixing in between, until the batter is combined and smooth. Fold in the finely ground pistachios.
- Bake the cupcakes: Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake 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.
- Be sure that the pistachios in the cupcake batter are very finely ground for the best texture of the cupcakes. Use a food processor and grind the pistachios until they are the consistency of almond flour.
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 I add green food coloring to the cupcakes and frosting?
- Yes, you can if you would like a deeper green color. I recommend using gel food coloring for the best results.
Other Recipes You Will Love
- Brown butter cupcakes
- Chocolate hazelnut cupcakes
- Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
- Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
- Apple cinnamon cupcakes
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Pistachio Cupcakes
Yield: 14 cupcakes
These pistachio cupcakes are the ultimate pistachio lovers dessert. The cupcakes are made with moist and tender pistachio cake, frosted with pistachio buttercream frosting, drizzled with pistachio cream, and sprinkled with chopped pistachios. No instant pistachio pudding mix in this cupcake recipe – just natural pistachio flavor.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pistachio Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 2 tbsp (24 g) sour cream room temperature
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) almond extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk room temperature
- ½ cup (62 g) finely ground pistachios salted or unsalted
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 or pistachio paste
- ¼ cup (31 g) chopped pistachios salted or unsalted
Instructions
Pistachio Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line cupcake pans with 14 cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and vegetable oil for a few minutes until light and creamy. Add the egg, sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until smooth.
- Add in half of the flour mixture and mix until mostly combined. Then, pour in the milk and mix. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture and mix until combined and smooth. Mix in the finely ground pistachios until it is well dispersed throughout the batter.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop about ¾ 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 pistachio 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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