Pistachio Cupcakes with Orange Mascarpone Frosting

My pistachio cupcake recipe uses real pistachios in the batter so while the flavor is not as prominent as some recipes that use pistachio flavor pudding, you know the taste is premium. And just like my matcha green tea cupcakes, the light green color of these pistachio cupcakes are all natural too, I did not use any food coloring whatsoever!

I’ve got so many cupcake recipes on my blog — they’re just so fun to make and to share with people. My OG favorites are these red velvet cupcakes (great for V-day!) and these banana split cupcakes (my mom’s favorite – Mother’s Day, yes!).

Why you’ll love these cupcakes

Okay, so it shouldn’t take too much convincing for why you’re going to love these amazing pistachio cupcakes, but let me summarize it for you:

• Natural flavor and color – like I said no food color, no artificial flavor pudding mix here. We will use REAL pistachios for the cupcake batter. Expensive? Well, yes, slightly, but they will taste sooo good!
• Creamy unique out of this world frosting – the frosting is light and creamy, with a very unique flavor thanks to the mascarpone. It’s a bit like the filling for this peaches and cream pie!
• Will convert even pistachio non-lovers – I took these to my yoga class and my yoga teacher said she didn’t like pistachio but surprisingly enjoyed these cupcakes!

Helpful tools

I made this pistachio cupcake recipe for a standard 12-cup muffin tin. You’ll also need a food processor or blender to grind the pistachios. 

You don’t need a stand mixer for the cupcake batter, simply do it by hand with a whisk. I also like to use a large ice cream scoop to portion out the batter into the muffin pan — it makes the process much cleaner.

For the whipped mascarpone cream, an electric hand mixer works just as well if you don’t have a stand mixer.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

For the cake

1. Pistachio nuts – I use a whole cup of ground raw pistachio nuts instead of the pistachio pudding mix you may find in another recipe for pistachio cupcakes! You could also use roasted pistachios if that’s all you can find, but the color of the cupcakes won’t be as green. Also, the pistachios need to be shelled for obviously reasons.
2. All-purpose flour – I keep it simple with regular AP flour. 
3. Granulated sugar – For sweetening the batter, brown sugar will work too.
4. Baking soda – Helps the cupcakes rise and stay fluffy by reacting with the buttermilk. Use fresh baking soda for the best results.
5. Baking powder – Gives this pistachio cupcake recipe even more lift once it’s in the oven!
6. Salt – Just a pinch brings out the flavors and balances the sweetness.
7. Cardamom – My secret ingredient adds warmth and spice to the batter. Freshly ground cardamom has the best taste but can be very strong and can overpower the pistachio flavor, so you may want to reduce the amount in half or even less if using freshly ground.
8. Eggs – Work to bind the ingredients together. We are using 2 whole eggs here because the batter contains a lot of ground nuts too.
9. Vegetable oil – Keeps the cupcakes extra moist and soft. Can swap with another mild oil like canola or sunflower.
10. Buttermilk – Also adds moisture and a slight tangy flavor. If you don’t have it, mix milk with a little lemon juice or vinegar. Sour cream or yogurt would be good substitutes for buttermilk.
11. Vanilla extract – A little warmth and sweetness that ties this recipe for pistachio cupcakes together perfectly.

For the frosting

1. Heavy whipping cream – Makes the frosting lighter and fluffier. Use full-fat heavy cream for the best texture.
2. Mascarpone – Works so well with the orange zest. Cream cheese can be used, but it will taste tangier.
3. Powdered sugar – Sweetens the frosting and makes it smooth. Sifting the sugar helps stop lumps. You can add more powdered sugar if you prefer the frosting a little bit sweeter, feel free to adjust to your taste.
4. Orange zest – In this recipe for pistachio cupcakes, I use orange zest to give the frosting a fresh citrus flavor. It helps balance the richness of the mascarpone and it goes really well with pistachio and cardamom.

How to make pistachio cupcakes

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1 – Grind the pistachios

Grind the pistachios in a food processor, stopping occasionally to check the texture so they don’t turn into pistachio butter. After that, measure out 1 cup for the batter and set aside the rest for topping.

Step 2 – Bake the cupcakes

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground pistachios, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
• Then, gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined — be careful not to overmix. After that, divide the batter evenly into the muffin pan.
• Bake for about 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the pistachio cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 3 – Make the frosting

• First, beat the heavy whipping cream with half of the powdered sugar and the orange zest until stiff peaks form.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the remaining powdered sugar. To keep the frosting smooth, sift the sugar first to remove any lumps.
• Then, gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream until everything is well combined and smooth.

Step 4 – Decorate

Pipe cupcakes with mascarpone frosting once they are completely cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle the extra ground pistachios on top for a beautiful finish.

More baker’s tips

• Chill the frosting – I usually chill the frosting before piping to help it hold its shape. If it gets too soft, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before decorating your cupcakes.
• Cardamom substitute – if you don’t have cardamom or don’t want to use it, you can either omit it all together or use a little bit of cinnamon combined with either nutmeg, ginger or clove as a substitute. Again, I want to note that cardamom can be a very strong flavor, especially when freshly ground, so give it a whiff before using to make sure you’re okay with the strength of yours.
• Stabilizing the frosting – this frosting is in a way stabilized whipped cream thanks to the mascarpone, so you don’t need to stabilize it further with anything else. It will hold up under refrigeration for a few days.

Storage

Unfrosted pistachio cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days if you’re making them ahead of a party and planning to add frosting the day of.

However, since the orange mascarpone frosting is made with cream and mascarpone cheese, you should keep frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh for about 3 days.

You can also freeze leftovers if needed! Arrange them in a single layer on a tray and freeze for about 30 minutes until firm. Then wrap them well in layers of foil and plastic, transfer them to freezer bags and store for 2-3 months. However, note that this type of frosting, after frozen and thawed, won’t be light and fluffy anymore. So if you can, enjoy them fresh!

More cupcake recipes

• Strawberry cupcakes
• Lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
• Carrot cupcakes
• Chocolate Oreo cupcakes

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