Pistachio Green Tea Cupcakes with Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting
Hello Spoonful of Flavor readers! I’m Danae from Recipe Runner. Thanks to Ashley for letting me be here again today! I always enjoy coming over to her beautiful blog and sharing something delicious. Today is no exception. Because it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day I wanted to join in the fun with all things green, so I made these Pistachio Green Tea Cupcakes with Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting!
St. Patrick’s Day isn’t all that high on my list of holidays I get excited about. Beer isn’t my drink of choice, I don’t look good wearing green, and I don’t have a drop of Irish blood in me. However, I do enjoy adding Baileys to everything, my once a year splurge on a salty fatty slice of corned beef, and scarfing down a childhood favorite pistachio pudding cupcake that my mom used to make every year on St. Patrick’s Day. Those cupcakes are where the inspiration for these Pistachio Green Tea Cupcakes with Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting came from.
As much as I love that boxed pistachio pudding I am quite aware of all the additives and unpronouncable ingredients in it. I thought about making my own instant dry pudding mix and adding pistachio extract, but I’ve heard not so great things about the flavor of pistachio extract. Then I remembered that I had some loose leaf green tea in my cupboard (I’ve recently become a tea addict on top of a coffee addict). I took the tea leaves and ground them up in my coffee grinder and wah-lah green tea powder! Not only would the green tea powder be a unique cupcake flavor, but it would give them the natural green color that I wanted.
Since I wanted the cupcakes to be reminiscent to the ones I grew up eating, I of course had to add some chopped pistachios to the batter. Not only are the pistachio in the cupcake, but I also decorated the top of the matcha cream cheese frosting with them.
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As we all know, the frosting is the real reason for having a cupcake and this green tea a.k.a. matcha frosting is so good! I used more green tea powder to give it that green hue and flavored it with both almond and vanilla extract. I’m pretty sure more of the frosting ended up in my mouth than on the cupcakes, I think we’ve all been there! If you’re looking for a fun and delicious St. Patrick’s Day treat to make and one that doesn’t involve boxed pudding or green food coloring, then give these Pistachio Green Tea Cupcakes with Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting a try, they do not disappoint!
Yields 8-10 cupcakes
These naturally green cupcakes are infused with green tea powder and full of chopped pistachios. Top them with a delicious matcha cream cheese frosting for an impressive and tasty dessert!
20 minPrep Time
16 minCook Time
36 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon green tea/matcha powder (I used loose leaf green tea leaves ground up in a coffee grinder)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoon plain non fat Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
- 6 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon green tea/matcha powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flours, cornstarch, green tea powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer beat the butter and greek yogurt on medium high speed until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the sugar and beat again for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat until combined.
- Add in a third of the dry mixture and beat just until combined, then add in half of the milk.
- Repeat the process ending with the dry mixture.
- Add in the chopped pistachios and mix just until combined.
- Fill the paper cupcake liners 3/4 full with the batter.
- Bake the cupcakes on the middle rack of the oven for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting them.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer add all of the frosting ingredients.
- Beat the frosting starting on low speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Turn up the speed of the mixer to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes with a pastry bag and tip or spread it on with a knife.
- Sprinkle the tops with more chopped pistachios if desired.
Notes
Cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Cupcakes Recipes:
Chocolate Stuffed Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Apple Pie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Mini Zucchini Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
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