Little pistachio cakes
Little pistachio cakes
These nutty little cupcakes, topped with cream cheese icing make a pretty addition to any buffet dessert or afternoon tea spread
- plus cooling
- Makes 12
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
- 
Calories 444
- 
Carbohydrates 30
- 
Saturated Fat 18
- 
Sugar 24
- 
Protein 5
- 
Fat 33
- 
Fiber 1
- 
Salt 0.6
Ingredients
- 
175g lightly salted butter, really soft, plus extra for greasing 
- 
75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 
- 
140g pistachios, plus a few, chopped, for scattering 
- 
1 tsp baking powder 
- 
175g golden caster sugar 
- 
2 large eggs 
- 
2 tsp vanilla extract 
- 
2 tbsp milk 
- 
290g tub full-fat cream cheese 
- 
50g lightly salted butter, softened 
- 
100g icing sugar 
Method
- 
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease a 12-hole silicone muffin or friand mould, then dust with a little flour, and tip out the excess (a metal tray will work too, but line with muffin cases, as the mixture may stick). Put the pistachios in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped but not greasy. Add the remaining cake ingredients and blend again into a creamy mixture. Use 2 spoons to fill each hole of your tray 2/3 full, place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 15 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the mould for 10 mins, then run a knife around the edge of each cake and turn out onto a wire rack. 
- 
Meanwhile, make the icing. Using an electric hand whisk, blend 3 tbsp of the cream cheese with the butter until smooth, then add the remaining cream cheese and icing sugar. Whizz again until creamy, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, and chill until ready to use. 
- 
When the cakes are cool, pipe spikes of icing on top of each one, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Can be made ahead – store the un-iced cakes in a sealed container for up to 3 days and chill the icing for 2 days.