Pistachio Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Turn basic vanilla cupcakes fancy by making a Pistachio Cream filling using Prairie Farms Heavy Cream. Top it off with a tangy Cream Cheese frosting for the perfect balance of flavors.
Servings 24
Ingredients:
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 cup Prairie Farms Unsalted Butter softened
- 1¾ cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1⅓ cup Prairie Farms Buttermilk room temperature
Pistachio Cream
- 1¼ cup Pistachios unshelled, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp Prairie Farms Butter
- ¾ cup Prairie Farms Heavy Whipping Cream divided
- 4 oz White Chocolate melted
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup Prairie Farms Unsalted Butter softened
- 8 oz Prairie Farms Cream Cheese softened
- 3 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
Directions:
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a muffin tin by adding cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add softened butter and sugar. Using an electric stand or hand mixer, beat until butter is fluffy and lightened in color, about 6 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the Vanilla Extract. Scrape down sides of bowl, beat again until mixture is fully incorporated.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and Buttermilk into the butter mixture in 3 additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat after each addition. Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
- Add batter to your prepared muffin tin, filling up each cup about ⅔'s the way full. Bake until cakes are risen and bounce back when lightly tapped, about 18-20 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure an even bake. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Pistachio Cream
- While cupcakes are baking start on your pistachio cream. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add the pistachios and let them boil for 3 minutes. Drain water and place boiled pistachios on a clean kitchen towel.
- Fold the towel in half over the pistachios and rub to loosen the skins. Remove the skins and add the pistachios to a blender or food processor. Add ½ cup of Heavy Cream, powdered sugar, and salt.
- In a microwave-safe dish, add the butter and heat until melted. Add the white chocolate and stir until melted. If needed, heat in 10-15 second intervals. Add the melted mixture into the pistachio mixture. Blend on high power until completely smooth and creamy. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer until completely smooth, scrape down sides of bowl. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low until slightly incorporated, then beat on high until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat again.
Assemble
- Once cupcakes are cooled, use a large round piping tip or pairing knife to core out a bit of the center. Add your cooled pistachio cream to a piping bag fitted with a small metal piping tip. Fill each cupcake with cream.
- Once cupcakes are filled, add your cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Pipe a swirl onto each cupcake and top generously with crushed pistachios. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
