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