It’s not easy being green …

… unless you are a little pistachio cupcake full of nutty goodness then it’s slightly easier.

It's easier then being a blogger with writers block.

Recently when I sit down to write about what I just made or product I just tried I stare at the screen not sure where to start. 

I usually end up with something and I’m happy with everything I post otherwise I wouldn’t post it.

It’s just that it used to come a lot easier and it bothers me that I’m struggling.

At least it’s not a baking block!

That has been non-stop recently, maybe that’s where the stress is coming from. Trying to keep my site up with all the baking I’ve been doing? So, maybe I’m putting unnecessary pressure on myself.

Perhaps? But for now I'll get back to the real reason I’m writing a post! I made pistachio cupcakes! Whynut, a local company, sent me some of their delicious pistachios and pistachio paste to try out.

I used the pistachio nuts and paste in the cake and used the paste in the icing to give it its green color! Of course it’s not easy being green!

My girls were very skeptical of them because they were green. Once they tried them though they thought they were great!

I will have to wait until Thursday to find out how they got on at the toddler group bake sale!

The only thing I would do different is the icing. I don’t get on well with icing that is just icing sugar and water and in this case pistachio paste. I should learn to trust my instincts and made a buttercream, but I didn’t! So, anyhow here they are!

It’s Not Easy Being Green Pistachio Cupcakes:

50g/2oz pistachios

140g/5oz golden caster sugar

140g/oz5 butter, softened

2 medium eggs

140g/5oz self-rising flour

2 tbsp pistachio paste

3 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 160C/140Cfan/gas3 and line your muffin tin with liners. Place the pistachios with half of the sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

In a bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl) place all the ingredients including the sugar and chopped pistachio mixture. Beat until smooth. Divide into cases about ¾ full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Use the skewer test to make sure they are completely baked. Cool in the tin until completely cool. Then make the …

icing:

250g/9oz icing sugar/ confectioners sugar, sifted

1-2 tbsp of pistachio paste

1-2 tbsp water

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of water to the icing sugar whisk into a paste, add the pistachio paste and whisk until smooth. I added a further tbsp of water and I think it was a bit runny, so just add it until you get a consistency you are happy with.

to finish:

Edible glitter or chopped pistachios.

I say to leave them in the tin, because the cakes were coming away from the cases. Which is bad for this type of icing. So, if you’ve taken them out to cool stick them back into the tin. If the cake(s) have peaked trim them up, if you want a flat surface. Then spoon the icing on top of each cake. Gently spread if needed, mine was too runny so it just spread on its own. Then using 1 pinch of edible glitter sprinkle all 12 cakes. I know some people have an issue with edible glitter, but I literally took a pinch in my fingers and sprinkled 12 cupcakes with it. If it’s an issue for you just leave them off and use chopped up pistachios! 

Leave to set then enjoy!

notes: Whynut: Premium Quality Nuts provided me with the pistachio’s and paste for this post, views and opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. They have hazelnut paste and spread available on their site too! All their pastes and spreads contain no additives, E numbers, or preservatives! Recipe is adapted from Bakes & Cakes magazine Summer 2013.