Monday, May 17, 2010

Pistachio-Raspberry Cupcakes ... I'll Take A Dozen Please!

It's time to be spontaneous. It's time to be experimental. It's time to indulge. It's so time for these Pistachio-Raspberry Cupcakes. Here is a cupcake that stands apart from the rest. It refuses to bow down to cupcake traditions. A proud and noble cupcake; one that's not afraid to parade down the streets without any help from Frosting.

"But Muneeba", you ask, "what kind of cupcake can exist without frosting?!". This one, dear readers. And not only does it exist without frosting, it flourishes without it.

Mull over that for a minute.

Now, before you bookmark this cupcake recipe, I have a small quiz for you ...

Where in the world is Baby B?
Can you tell by majestic building with the 23-karat gold dome behind him?
Try not to get distracted by his adorable monkey-face.

DH and I had our first mini-vacation with the little guy just this past weekend. And before I tell you all about it - especially regarding a certain seafood dish that blew my mind - take your best shot at guessing what our destination was.

Back to this rebellious cupcake ...

Pistachio-Raspberry Cupcakes (adapted from Martha Stewart Living, Feb 2009 and seen on super-cute blog Lottie + Doof)
Makes a dozen

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup whole, unsalted, shelled pistachios + 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1.5 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fresh raspberries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F and line your cupcake molds with paper liners.

2. Grind the whole pistachios, sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
Pistachio fairy dust - sprinkle on for magic to happen!

3. Add softened butter, vanilla and eggs and mix till smooth. Fold in the flour till just combined.I could eat this batter with a spoon - raw eggs and all! I don't care, I live on the edge - it was just that good!

4. Divide batter among cupcake molds, filling each halfway. Sprinkle with raspberries and chopped pistachios. Bake until firm - about 25 mins. Cool on a wire rack, then serve to your adoring public.
Verdict: This cupcake is a divine little diva! Look at her strutting her stuff. Chock full of pistachios and bursting with juicy, plump raspberries. You could probably pass these off as breakfast muffins if you can manage a straight face when saying it. Gawd, these are good!


So we've reached the end of my post. Have you guessed where I went for my mini-vacation yet? If not, here's another clue.
Red-coats and independence fighters mingle here often. Just because they're laughing, doesn't mean trouble isn't brewing!

17 comments:

Sushma Mallya said...

very pretty cup cakes, love the combo, and your kid is really very cute & adorable...

Hari Chandana P said...

Yummmmmmmm.. looks very tempting.. lovely clicks.. :)

Unknown said...

I am a sucker for anything with pistachios in it. The cupcakes look gorgeous.
*kisses* HH

Joanne said...

Really? No frosting? Hmmm this I have to try.

My guess is Boston!

Mari said...

Awwww he is so cute!!!!! he is getting so big already...time flies by.

those cupcakes look amazing!

Amna said...

Uhmmm...Nommm...Nommm..Nommm (best Homer impression!) I can happily munch away on these cupcakes and baby B!!!

Maria said...

Those look so pretty and delicious all at once! Love the raspberry and pistachio. Perfect combination.

And the little one' face is quite distracting ... he's too darn cute!!

Ann said...

Colonial Williamsburg? except I don't remember a gold-domed building there...
Boston? except I don't remember dressed up actors strolling around. Only hooligans.

Julie said...

That is a cute little monkey face! Those cupcakes look great :)

Deborah said...

You know it's good if it doesn't even need frosting!

Anonymous said...

I will take 2 dozens! Yummy!

Anonymous said...

The cupcakes look absolutely scrumptious! Such a terrific combo of pistachios and raspberries! Did you go to Boston?

Foodiewife said...

Yum....pistachios! I'm so far behind in reading blogs. Love the baby photo with Papa... and the muffins look pretty darn tempting, too!

Jennifer said...

OMG I have everything to make them right now!!!! Baby is adorable BTW and I think you were in Washington DC maybe?

tasteofbeirut said...

Wonderful cupcakes! Love the idea of planting raspberries in there!

Jamie said...

Now once I get past that outrageously adorable Little B (oh my he's fabulous!) the cupcakes are perfect and I'm bookmarking these babies! Pistachios and raspberries are fab together and these look beautiful! No, these look too delicious without frosting to even consider it!

test it comm said...

Pistachio and raspberry would make a great combo for muffins!