Real pistachio doesn't look like the boxed mix. It bakes up a soft beige-green and tastes nutty and buttery rather than sweet. Grinding the nuts with a spoon of the flour stops them turning to paste in the processor, which is the mistake everyone makes once.
Everything you need
- ¾ cup (92 g) shelled pistachios
- 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (120 g) milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (232 g) cream cheese, cold
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, for the frosting
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a 12-hole tin. Blitz the pistachios with 2 tablespoons of the flour until they look like coarse sand, keeping a handful back for the top.
For this step
- ¾ cup (92 g) shelled pistachios
- 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
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Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time and the almond extract.
For this step
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
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Fold in the ground pistachios, remaining flour, baking powder and salt, alternating with the milk. The batter will be thick and flecked with green.
For this step
- ¾ cup (92 g) shelled pistachios
- 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 g) milk
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
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Fill the cases two thirds full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. They're done when the tops spring back and a skewer comes out clean.
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Cool completely. Meanwhile beat the butter until pale, add the powdered sugar, then beat in the cold cream cheese for no more than 30 seconds.
For this step
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (232 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
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Swirl the frosting on and scatter over the reserved chopped pistachios.
For this step
- ¾ cup (92 g) shelled pistachios
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Worth knowing
- Pulse the nuts, don't run the processor. Ten seconds too long and you have pistachio butter, which makes a heavy, greasy sponge.
- Beat cream cheese frosting as little as possible once the cheese goes in. Overbeaten, it turns loose and soupy and no amount of sugar rescues it.
Make it your own
- Add the zest of a lemon to the sponge and a squeeze of juice to the frosting for a brighter, less rich cupcake.
- Use half pistachio and half almond flour if pistachios are expensive where you're. Use 46 g of each.
Storing & freezing
Refrigerate for 4 days because of the cream cheese, but take them out an hour before serving. Unfrosted sponges freeze well for 2 months.
Frequently asked
How many grams is a cup of pistachios?
About 123 g per US cup shelled, so the ¾ cup here is roughly 92 g. Buy them unsalted if you can, or skip the added salt.
Why are my cupcakes not green?
Because there's no colouring in them. Real ground pistachios give a pale, slightly khaki crumb. Boxed pistachio mixes are dyed, which is the look most people picture.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to cook
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.