Pistachio Cupcakes (From cake mix)
These moist Pistachio Cupcakes are soft, flavorful, and easy to make. We've frosted them with cream cheese frosting. So good!
Servings: 30 cupcakes approx.
Ingredients
- 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix We used Duncan Hines Super Moist (15.25 oz). I like to sift cake mix
- 3.4 oz (Small box) Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix (Do not prepare the pudding.)
- ½ cup all purpose flour (60g)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (100g) (You could also use light brown)
- 1 cup sour cream (242g)
- 3 eggs room temperature (place in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes if in a hurry)
- 1¼ cup milk (305g)
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil (we use Canola oil) (108g)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract (8g)
- 1½ teaspoons Almond extract (6g)
- ½ cup shelled Pistachios, finely chopped/crushed (optional: save additional for sprinkling over frosted cupcakes)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened (226g)
- 16 oz Cream cheese softened, full fat. We used two 8 oz blocks of full fat cream cheese.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
- 6 cups powdered sugar (690g) Adjust slightly up or down to your liking.
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Set oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Sift the cake mix into your mixing bowl. Add instant pistachio pudding mix, eggs, sugar, flour, sour cream, milk, vegetable oil, and almond extract, and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low speed for about 10-15 seconds to incorporate before increasing to medium speed for two minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gently stir in the chopped buttered pecans.
- Fill the lined cupcake pan with batter. We put about ¼ cup batter in each well.
- Bake for approximately 16-18 minutes (times may vary). When the tops spring back when lightly touched and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, they are ready.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan soon after removing from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth.
- Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing at low to medium speed until incorporated. If you are using a hand mixer you may need to soften the cream cheese a bit more.
- Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until blended. Cover the bowl with a towel if needed to keep down the cloud of powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until frosting comes together and is well incorporated.
- This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix.
Decorating
- Decorate however you like, the cupcakes need to be completely cooled/ room temperature before applying the frosting. Apply frosting with a spatula or with a piping bag fitted with your piping tip of choice (for instance large star piping tips like 1M or 2D are always great for swirls and chunky shells, etc.)
Storing
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container, under a cake dome, or in a sealed bakery box. Because of the cream cheese frosting, they should be refrigerated. However, for best flavor and texture, remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving so that they can warm and soften.
Notes
These cupcakes should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting. However, for the very best flavor and texture, remove from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before serving. This will allow time for the cupcakes to warm and soften.
Cake Mixes: Although we used Duncan Hines (15.25 oz) for this recipe, we also tried it with Betty Crocker (which has downsized by 2 oz.) - We added 2 oz more flour to make up the difference- they were still very good but didn't dome as much.
Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to three months. Once cooled, line the cupcakes on a sheet cake board or tray, place a layer of plastic wrap over the top, and then wrap tightly with foil (as if you were wrapping a sheet cake). To thaw, remove from the refrigerator, remove the wrapping after about 15 minutes, and then continue to warm to room temperature or to desired amount for apply frosting. (Frosting can be applied while cakes are still partially frozen).
Freezing