Pistachio Rose Vegan Cupcakes (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Pistachio Cupcakes
01 -
¾ cup unsweetened soy milk
02 -
1 tbsp lemon juice (about ½ small lemon)
03 -
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
04 -
1 tbsp vanilla extract
05 -
1 cup granulated white sugar
06 -
½ tsp sea salt
07 -
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into the cup, not packed)
08 -
1 tsp baking powder
09 -
½ tsp baking soda
10 -
10 drops vegan green food dye (or more to taste)
11 -
½ cup raw pistachio kernels, chopped
→ Rose Buttercream Frosting
12 -
2 cups vegan butter
13 -
6 cups powdered sugar
14 -
2 tsp lemon juice
15 -
2 tsp food grade rose water
16 -
10 drops vegan red food dye (or more to taste)
→ Decoration
17 -
½ cup raw pistachio kernels, chopped
18 -
48 mini dried rose buds (optional)
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat your oven to 340°F (170°C). Line two mini 24-cupcake pans with liners, or grease them well. You can also use parchment paper or silicone molds if you prefer.
02 -
Pour the soy milk into a bowl and add the lemon juice. Give it a quick whisk - this creates a vegan buttermilk! Then add your olive oil, vanilla, sugar, and salt. Mix everything until it's well combined and slightly thickened.
03 -
Dump in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until you've got a smooth, even batter with no flour lumps hiding anywhere.
04 -
Start with just a few drops of green food coloring and mix. Keep adding more until you get the shade you want - about 5 drops will give you a subtle pastel green, perfect for pistachio cupcakes.
05 -
Fold in those chopped pistachios, distributing them evenly throughout your batter. Then fill each mini cupcake cavity about halfway full - they'll rise while baking!
06 -
Slide those cupcakes into your preheated oven, placing them on the lower middle rack (or middle rack for silicone molds). Bake at 340°F for 12½ minutes, then lower the temperature to 320°F and bake another 12½ minutes. This two-stage baking keeps them from puffing up too much while still staying fluffy inside.
07 -
While the cupcakes are baking, cut your vegan butter into small cubes and start creaming it with an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar a little at a time until it gets crumbly. Then add the lemon juice and rose water. Keep mixing - it'll seem dry at first but will smooth out after about a minute. Don't add extra liquid! Finally, mix in enough red food coloring to achieve a pretty pastel pink.
08 -
Once baked, remove cupcakes from the oven and take them out of the pan to cool faster. Let them hang out on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes - otherwise your beautiful buttercream will just melt right off!
09 -
Get your piping bag ready with your favorite nozzle and fill it with that gorgeous pink buttercream. For each cupcake, start with the tip in the center, then pipe in a circular motion working outward and upward. Top each one with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios and, if you're feeling fancy, a tiny dried rosebud.
# Notes:
01 -
These delicate mini cupcakes combine earthy pistachios with fragrant rose water for a Middle Eastern-inspired flavor profile.
02 -
The two-temperature baking method ensures perfectly domed, fluffy cupcakes that don't rise too much.
03 -
For the dried rose buds, make sure they're food grade and safe for consumption - find them at specialty tea shops or Middle Eastern markets.