St. Patrick's Day Pistachio Cupcakes

Cupcakes again! Mommmmmm! Well, kids, mom tried making key lime pots de creme, but they didn't cook right and came out a watery mess that had to go down the sink. You'll eat what mother makes or nothing at all!

Do kids always turn out the opposite of their parents? If I hand-make all my children's food (when I have them) will they grow up wanting frosting from a can, with extra corn syrup please? It's true I grew up on ramen and corn chips, which perhaps shapes my love of good home-made fare (to be fair my mother CAN cook quite well, she just worked so didn't have much opportunity). Is it inevitable that my kids will want brownies from a box and bread from a bag with primary colored polka dots on it?

These cupcakes were a lot of fun to make. I love St. Patrick's day, although I'm not Catholic and don't know much about that old saint except that he chased out the snakes (well done, I guess, although species extinction is probably no longer the virtue that it was). Maybe I just love every holiday...


They are green with pistachio pudding mix - not one of my favorite ingredients, but gave them a good, solid color. Nice texture too, soft and spongy.


Topping indecision again! Green? Brown? Green and brown? Wish I had little shamrock shaped jimmies...


Mm they were the perfect texture, too, and rose up in such nice little domes. I love it when my stuff doesn't sink.


One frosting type: the circular swirl. Lovely, isn't it? Easy, too, and requires no piping, just artful spatula-ing.


Two frosting type: The piped swirl. More difficult, often comes out crooked, but when you get it right looks just beautiful. For those who want only a little cupcake with their frosting.


Nothing like acres of baked goods to cheer the soul...


Nom Nom Nom

Pistachio St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes (adapted from Susan Frantz' Taste of Home submission)

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour (I used cake flour, made them lighter, I think)
2/3 c sugar (I used organic)
1 package instant pistachio pudding mix
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c milks
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 c miniature semisweet chocolate chips (optional; they look pretty but taste funny with the pistachio)
1 c cream cheese frosting
Decorations of choice

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until combined. Fold in chocolate chips, if desired.

Fill foil or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost and decorate as desired. Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen.

5 comments:

libby said...

pistachio!

Sondra said...

Anna, Can I just say that I absolutely heart you! <3 Your commentary makes my day. We need to hang out again soon. I am graduating and leaving at the end of April! So close! Ahhhh!

minisuperbias said...

oh anna, you make me laugh :D these look fabulous!

jeannesioux said...

Did Justin inform you that, yes, even though I made most of our food from scratch, they still longed for store bought junk...I called it poison. Soda pop, esp. is poison, when you have delicious home squeezed orange juice, lemon juice and grapefruit juice. (Our place in Arizona was fantastic for fruit trees and what would come out of the garden.) The only time they got storebought cookies was on Sundays when we would read church magazines. Justin was so old, that perhaps he does not remember that tradition. ??? :) They did get poison treats sometimes in their school lunches.

Justin Pack said...

yum poison treats!