Pistachio Cupcakes

Hey everyone!  First of all, I’m so sorry I’ve been absent recently!  I’ve been crazy busy and haven’t had much time for blogging this past week, but I have something to make it up to you…

This past weekend was my future sister-in-law’s bridal shower…and I was in charge of the sweet table.  This is part of the reason I’ve been absent…since most of my free time was spent baking!  I experimented with some different flavors and techniques and, as a little treat, I’m going to share with you my recipe for pistachio cupcakes.  This is a great cake to make for a bridal or baby shower.

I made little mini cupcakes, but you can easily make larger ones or even make a full cake.

I also included some stamped orange sugar cookies, which were a HUGE hit!  Maybe I’ll share that recipe with you guys, too… 🙂

The shower theme colors were hot pink, green, black, and white…so I had a lot of fun with the dessert table!  Here’s how it all came together:

ANYWAY, let’s get to those cupcakes, huh?  Here’s a recipe that nut lovers are sure to go, well, “nuts” over!

Pistachio Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 package instant pistachio pudding
• 1 handful crushed pistachios (optional)
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup club soda

Frosting:

• 1 tub whipped frosting (white)
• 1/2 package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 2-3 drops green food coloring
• 1 handful crushed pistachios (optional)

Directions:

1.  To make the cupcakes, place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix gently to combine.  Continue to mix until everything is incorporated and you have a smooth batter.  If you want your cupcakes to be a darker green, you can add some food coloring, but the pudding mix adds just enough color to make it a soft pistachio green.

2.  Pour it into prepared muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely before frosting.

3.  For the frosting, combine the frosting, pudding mix, and crushed pistachios in a bowl and mix until combined.  If you want to darken your frosting, add green food coloring.  I added 2 drops to get the nice green tint.  Decorate to your heart’s content!

Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.