Pistachio Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp natural pistachio flavor
• Green food coloring
• 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup butter, nearly at room temperature, I recommend using 1/2 cup unsalted 1/4 cup salted
• 1 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream, then more as needed
• 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, finely chopped, for topping

Directions

1. For the cupcakes, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk them for 20 seconds, then keep that bowl nearby.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until the mixture looks lighter and soft. Add the eggs separately, mixing after each one, then blend in the pistachio flavor and green food coloring, about 8 liquid drops.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until it disappears. Pour in 1/2 of the milk, mix again, then add another 1/3 of the flour mixture. Follow with the remaining 1/2 of the milk, then add the final 1/3 of the flour mixture and stop when the batter is just about blended.
4. Take the bowl off the stand mixer. Add the pistachios, then fold the batter while scraping around the bowl so the nuts are worked in evenly without overdoing it.
5. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper, giving each cup 2/3 full, about 1/4 cup per cupcake.
6. Bake in the heated oven until a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean, about 18 – 22 minutes. Take the cupcakes out of the pan, let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then move them to an airtight container so they can cool completely.
7. For the pistachio buttercream frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until it is very light in color and airy. Add the heavy cream, pistachio flavor, and powdered sugar, then whip until the frosting is pale and fluffy.
8. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, then scatter the pistachios over the tops. Keep them in an airtight container.