Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes

Today’s post is March’s submission to our monthly theme posts.

Celebrating Green and Welcoming Spring | www/BakingInATornado.com



This is how it works; we are a group of bloggers participating in a monthly project. Every month one of us picks a theme and each of us post a recipe based on that month’s theme. All the recipes will be featured on my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page so be sure to check there daily.

December was The 12 Cakes of December
January was Dippin' Through January
February was Love and Food
March is Celebrating Green and Welcoming Spring. 
The challenge is to use an ingredient that’s green in its natural state. No mint baking chips in this challenge.

Today’s the first day of the green posts and it’s my turn. I chose pistachios.

In the name of complete disclosure, the recipe I’m featuring today is my second attempt at a recipe using pistachios. The first one came out delicious but, let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. Literally. Stop by this blog on Friday to see how I ended up incorporating that recipe into an upcoming Secret Subject Swap post. You’ll understand why they didn’t quite belong as my contribution to a monthly challenge populated by such a talented group of bloggers.

So I sent hubs out to buy more pistachios and moved on to Plan B. If you know anything about me, you know it was possible I’d have to move on to Plan C and maybe even D, but not this time. This time I made Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes with a Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting. And I love them.

Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dessert


Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

I have to tell you, these cupcakes without the frosting could easily be a breakfast muffin. Of course I tasted it before I frosted it and I would definitely love one with my morning coffee.

I think that’s because, as cupcakes go, this one is not terribly sweet. The same is true of the frosting. Although it has jelly in it, the cream cheese cuts the sweet taste.

In my house, of course, it ended up frosted and eaten as a dessert. But that tends to happen with teenagers around.


Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting | www/BakingInATornado.com

As always, if you make one of my recipes, please feel free to take a picture of it and post it on my FB page. And watch there for my posts featuring the rest of the green recipes. There are more coming on the dates below:

3/5 Crumbs in my Mustachio's Key Lime Chiffon Cake
3/6 Lemony Thyme's Colcannon Cheesy Potatoes with Kale
3/7 Tampa Cake Girl's Asian Salad with Chicken


3/10 The Rowdy Baker's Chocolate Mint Zucchini Swirl Bread
3/11 Cooking from a SAHM's Roasted Tomato Spinach Foccocia with Parm
3/12 Moore or Less Cooking's Lox Me Up and Throw Away The Key
3/13 Hun . . . what’s for dinner? Maple Poached Pear Salad with Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese
3/14 Manila Spoon

 Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
                                         ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients, Cupcakes (12):
1 stick butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
3 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ cup unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
1/3 cup dried blueberries, chopped
Ingredients, Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 TBSP butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP heavy cream
1/3 cup blueberry jelly
¼ cup chopped pistachios, for garnish
 
Directions, Cupcakes:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 12 cupcake tins.
*Beat the butter and sugar. Beat in the vanilla, eggs and buttermilk. Mix in the flour, baking powder and pistachios, then beat for one minute. Mix in the blueberries.
*Divide the batter into the cupcake tins and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the tops spring back to the touch.
*Cool completely.
Directions, Frosting:
*Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar just until incorporated. Add the heavy cream and the jelly and beat until spreading consistency.
*NOTE: if your frosting is too thick you can thin it by adding more cream. If it’s too thin, thicken it by adding more powdered sugar.
*Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with remaining pistachios.

22 comments:

  1. These look delicious! And they're not green, which is a bonus :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, maybe just a little green. But so delicious, even without the frosting.

      Delete
  2. This is such an unusual combination it's irresistible to try. And here I thought there were no new flavors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, there's always new flavors. I have a son who loves pistachios and dried blueberries. He was my muse for this one.

      Delete
  3. This recipe looks delicious and your frosting is perfelty perfect! Do you consume the goodness that you create? It all looks so tasty - I haven't figured out how to bake goodies without eating them all!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so difficult, I don't want to post recipes I haven't tried, but I have to admit that I often have a house full of teenagers and am lucky to get just a bite.

      Delete
  4. I wouldn't have thought to pair blueberries with pistachios, but it's a pretty sight to see, Karen! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was inspired by my son who's been mixing his favorite nuts and dried fruits for a snack. So glad to have tried it, we loved them.

      Delete
  5. Celebrating Spring with cupcakes is my idea of a celebration! I like pistachios very much and I cannot get enough of them. Welcome Spring!

    ReplyDelete
  6. OMG! This looks fabulous and I love the fact that it isn't overly sweet. Pistachios are my favorite!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you try them. They went pretty quickly around here.

      Delete
  7. Pistacios are so yummy. I bet they are wonderful in your blueberry cupcakes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They really are, I already need to make another batch.

      Delete
  8. I seriously will be making these for breakfast. They sound and look delicious!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting - not to be rude but I think I just had a foodgasm! I am a blueberry fanatic and this sounds amazing. I think you better start a mail order pastry biz!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I may not be able to start a mail order biz, but maybe we can see about installing a drive-up window.

      Delete
  10. Blueberries are a favorite and pistachio's the most delicious nut, brilliant combo Karen! YUM! Nettie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Nettie, these were pretty popular around here. Hope you try them.

      Delete

Warning: Comment at your own risk. I have Comment Moderation, meaning I approve all comments before they show up here. So go ahead, I'm not scared!