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kesar pista cupcake indian fusion dessert
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5 from 12 votes

Kesar Pista Cupcakes (Saffron Pistachio)

Pistachio cupcakes with a cream cheese saffron topping! Easy to make cupcakes use ground pistachios for a delicious flavor.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Indian, indian fusion
Keyword: diwali desserts, indian fusion desserts, kesar pista
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 167kcal
Author: Shilpa Joshi

Equipment

  • Cupcake pan
  • Cupcake liners
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredients

Pistachio Cupcakes

  • 1 cup all purpose flour 125g
  • ¾ cup sugar 162g, sifted
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened (room temp)
  • 1 cup roast pistachios 138g, ground finely, some chunks ok
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar white vinegar can be substituted
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Saffron Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 generous pinches saffron crushed
  • 1½ tbsp milk warmed in microwave 20 seconds
  • 4 oz cream cheese ½ block
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter ½ stick, 2oz
  • 1¾ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt

Garnishes

  • extra chopped pistachios for topping
  • few strands of saffron

Instructions

Pistachio Cupcakes

  • Roast pistachios and grind into powder. Use 2 tbsp of the flour while grinding to prevent pistachio mixture from becoming pasty.
    Flour coated pistachios in a food processor.
  • Mix milk with vinegar.
    vinegar with milk
  • Sift together all dry ingredients except sugar.
    Flour, ground pistachios, salt, and baking powder mixed in a bowl.
  • Beat butter on medium until creamy. Slowly beat in sugar until all is incorporated. Beat in extracts.
    Butter in a mixing bowl.
  • Alternating between dry ingredients and milk, slowly beat into butter/sugar mixture until all is combined.
    Kesar pista cupcake batter in a bowl.
  • Heat oven to 350F and line cupcake tin with liners. Pour cupcake batter into liners to about 3/4 full.
    Cupcake batter in cupcake tin for eggless pistachio cupcakes.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes. Check with toothpick to ensure fully baked. Let cool completely before icing so they set up properly.
    Frosted kesar pista cupcake on a white plate.

Saffron Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Mix milk and crushed saffron. Let sit to bloom 10 minutes.
    bloom saffron
  • Beat sugar, butter and cream cheese together
    cream butter and sugar
  • Beat in bloomed saffron milk until fluffy. Spoon into piping bag and top cupcakes.
    saffron buttercream

Notes

I like to leave out the butter and cream cheese for 1 hour atleast before starting the recipe, but time may vary dependent on the temperature in your kitchen.
Saffron flavor grows over time.  If possible make day ahead of serving to give the saffron more time to absorb into the frosting.
Bloom the saffron in warm milk (microwaved 20 seconds) before using.  Let sit atleast 10 minutes.  Leave longer, if you have time.
See recipe for eggless pistachio cupcakes here: Eggless Pistachio Cupcakes

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg