Name: Vegan Mini Rose Pistachio Cupcakes
Ingredients: 3/4 cup soy milk – unsweetened; 1 tbsp lemon juice – the juice of about 1/2 small lemon; 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1 cup granulated white sugar; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 2 cups all-purpose flour – (spooned into the cup, not packed); 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 10 drops vegan green food dye – or more, to taste; 1/2 cup Setton Farms Raw Pistachio Kernels – chopped; 2 cups vegan butter; 6 cups powdered sugar; 2 tsp lemon juice; 2 tsp food grade rose water; 10 drops vegan red food dye – or more, to taste; 1/2 cup Setton Farms Raw Pistachio Kernels – chopped; 48 mini dried rose buds – optional

Ingredients

Scale

Pistachio Cupcakes

3/4 cup soy milk – unsweetened
1 tbsp lemon juice – the juice of about 1/2 small lemon
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups all-purpose flour – (spooned into the cup, not packed)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
10 drops vegan green food dye – or more, to taste
1/2 cup Setton Farms Raw Pistachio Kernels – chopped

Buttercream Frosting

2 cups vegan butter
6 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp food grade rose water
10 drops vegan red food dye – or more, to taste

Garnishes/Cupcake Decoration

1/2 cup Setton Farms Raw Pistachio Kernels – chopped
48 mini dried rose buds – optional

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Instructions

Make the Mini Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 340ºF/170ºC and line two mini 24-cupcake baking forms with mini cupcake liners (alternatively, you can grease the baking form, use parchment paper, or use a silicone baking form.)
Next, add the soy milk and lemon juice to a medium mixing bowl and mix the two using a whisk (this will form a vegan substitute for butter milk.) Add the olive oil, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt, and mix again. Now, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix again until you get a smooth batter.
Start by adding a few green food coloring drops and mix again. You can now add more food coloring to your liking, depending on the shade of green you prefer (using about 5 drops will give you a light pastel green.)
Lastly, fold the chopped pistachio kernels into the batter using a whisk or spatula and fill your mini cupcake form(s) about halfway.
Once the oven is preheated to the desired temperature, place the cupcake forms on the lower middle rack (use the middle rack if using silicone baking forms.) Bake at 340ºF/170ºC for 12 1/2 minutes, then lower the temperature to 320ºF/160ºC and bake for another 12 1/2 minutes. This will help prevent the cupcakes from rising too much, while still being fluffy.

Make the Buttercream Frosting

While the cupcakes are in the oven, prepare the buttercream: cut the vegan butter into small cubes (see notes), then use an electric whisk to cream the butter while adding the powdered sugar a little at a time. Once it’s crumbly, add the lemon juice and rose water and mix again until you get a smooth buttercream consistency.
Tip: resist the urge to add more liquid than needed. The cream will get smooth after about a minute, even if it doesn’t seem like it at first. Lastly, mix in the red food coloring. Start with just a few drops and then add more to your liking, depending on the desired color intensity (using the amount indicated will result in a light pastel pink.)

Decorate the Mini Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes are fully baked, remove them from the oven and (if you used cupcake remove them from the baking form to allow them to cool down faster. Let them cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes (otherwise, the buttercream will melt.)
Add your nozzle to the piping bag and fill it with the buttercream. To decorate each cupcake, place the tip of the nozzle in the middle of the cupcake and then pipe the buttercream onto the cupcake in a circular motion (as detailed in the recipe video included in the article above.)
Finally, sprinkle each cupcake with chopped pistachios and, optionally, add a dried rose bud