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–+ servings

Pistachio Cupcakes with Whipped Honey Mascarpone

These pistachio cupcakes are light, buttery, and topped with a whipped honey mascarpone icing. Made from scratch with real pistachios!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 12 cupcakes

* Please note: all cup measurements are approximate and based on Australian standard cups (250ml). For best results, weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale.

Equipment

  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • food processor, or mortar and pestle
  • hand mixer, or stand mixer with the whisk attachment
  • piping bag with tip, optional

Ingredients
 

For the pistachio cupcakes

  • 100 g (¾ cup) shelled and unsalted pistachios, plus more for garnish
  • 260 g (2 cups) cake flour, see notes
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 150 g (⅗ cups) butter, softened
  • 220 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites, room temp
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 300 ml (1 ⅕ cups) buttermilk, room temp

For the whipped honey mascarpone

  • 250 ml (1 cup) thickened/heavy cream, fridge cold
  • 4 tbsp honey, plus more for drizzling (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 250 g (1 cup) mascarpone, fridge cold, see notes

Instructions

Make the pistachio cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 160℃ (140℃ fan/325℉). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • Spread the pistachios onto a baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Allow to cool.
  • Place the pistachios in a small food processor (or blender) and pulse until they resemble a course flour. Be careful not to over-process or you'll end up with a pistachio paste.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground pistachios with the other dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the softened butter for about 2 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the whole egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and mix until just combined.
  • Add roughly ⅓ of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, followed by ⅓ of the buttermilk. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat this process twice more.
  • In a clean, separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter, being careful not to overmix.
  • Distribute the batter between the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring the cupcakes to a wire rack.

Make the whipped honey mascarpone

  • To ensure the cream and mascarpone stay cold, keep them in the fridge until you're ready to use them. For best results, you can also place your mixing bowl and whisk attachments in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before beginning.
  • Add the cream, honey, vanilla, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and whip on medium speed until soft peaks form.
  • Add the mascarpone and continue whipping just until stiff peaks form. This should only take a minute or two. Mascarpone can separate and become grainy if overmixed, so be careful not to overdo it.
  • Transfer the whipped mascarpone cream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I use a Wilton 1M tip), and make swirls on the fully cooled cupcakes. Alternatively, you just can spread the icing on top. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, and drizzle with more honey right before serving. Check the notes below for make-ahead/storage instructions.

Notes

  1. Cake flour: In a pinch, you can make your own cake flour at home by sifting together two common ingredients: plain flour and cornflour.
    The general rule of thumb is to remove 2 tbsp of flour per cup and replace with 2 tbsp cornflour. If measuring by weight, you can use an approximate ratio of 7 parts plain flour to 1 part cornflour. 
  2. Mascarpone: Use a good quality mascarpone for this recipe! Look for one that's thick, smooth and creamy. Cheaper mascarpones tend to be watered down and split or curdle more easily when mixed.
    In Australia, La Cassa Del Formaggio and Montefiore are both solid choices. 
  3. Make ahead: If you're making these cupcakes in advance, store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature, and frost them right before serving. 
  4. Storage instructions: These cupcakes are best enjoyed within 3 days. Once frosted, they will need to be stored in the refrigerator. Refrigeration can dry them out slightly and/or firm them up. To restore their lovely, soft texture, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 804IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg
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