These Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cupcakes are a celebration of nutty pistachio flavor. Moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with luscious pistachio-chocolate ganache and crowned with a swirl of salted pistachio buttercream.
Pistachios are having a moment. Actually, more than just a moment. First, there’s Starbucks’ pistachio latte making a comeback this year – both in hot and cold brew form. And then the viral TikTok-famous Dubai Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar. It seems like pistachio-inspired sweets are everywhere. And honestly, I’m here for it.
Pistachios have been considered a luxury item since Roman times (yes, they’re that fancy). It’s all due to their long growing season and the effort it takes to harvest them. Recently, food writers have coined them as “quiet luxury“. While they’re a bit pricier than your average nut, we can still enjoy them in a more practical manner than say, the most expensive baklava in the world (Gaziantep Baklava). How? By using a little pistachio butter to turn an ordinary devil’s food cupcake into something extra-special.
This recipe is practical, but doesn’t skimp on flavor. We’re talking moist, dark devil’s food cupcakes filled with pistachio-chocolate ganache and topped with a dreamy salted pistachio buttercream. It’s the perfect sweet-salty balance that takes it over the top. If you’ve ever tasted chocolate with a sprinkle of sea salt, you already know where this is going.
Pistachio Butter Filling
The filling is an easy 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream that has two tablespoons of pistachio butter added. Use your favorite semisweet bar chocolate or some high quality chips. Get those three ingredients together in a bowl, heat in the microwave for one minute, then stir together until a smooth ganache forms.
Why use pistachio butter?
Pistachio butter gives you the most bang for your buck with pure, concentrated pistachio flavor. Often you can use less of it in a recipe to achieve a robust nutty flavor. (See recipe notes for pistachio butter vs paste.) I explored options for making it homemade, but found out – well, in this current economy – that I wasn’t saving money by DIYing it. Get yourself a jar of ready-made pistachio butter at the grocery store that only contains 1 ingredient: pistachios. It will be much less expensive locally (at my locale, $6-ish a jar) but if you can’t find it nearby, you can order some right here.
More Pistachios, Please!
In addition to the paste, the filling gets 1/4 cup of roasted salted pistachios mixed in. I get these Wonderful Pistachios at my local grocery store, that are already roasted and shelled. But you can also purchase them online. The salt in the pistachios really intensifies the flavor of the ganache. It’s such a decadent surprise inside the cupcake.
Chocolate Cupcakes
The cupcakes you may recognize from this 2017 post. It’s such a tender cake, but it still holds up to filling very well. Cut a divot into the tops of the cakes using a serrated knife. Make the hole large enough to pipe about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ganache filling. When all the cupcakes are filled, make the pistachio buttercream.
Salted Pistachio Buttercream
The buttercream is easier to make than you might expect! It’s adapted from my Peanuts and Coke Cupcakes recipe from Sea Salt Sweet.
First, cream together 1 cup of unsalted butter and 3/4 cup of pistachio butter. Beat on high speed until well combined and slightly lightened in color. Add in 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt and beat again. Next, add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar; mix on medium speed until combined. The mixture will be thick. Add in 1/4 cup heavy cream and whip until light and fluffy. The natural color of the buttercream will lean to the yellow side, which is perfectly acceptable. But I decided to add just a touch of green food color to give a greener hue. This is totally optional, but recommended for that recognizable pistachio color.
Pipe or Dollops
Immediately transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Or you can dollop mounds of buttercream on top of the cupcakes using an ice cream scoop.
There’s only one suitable topping for these cupcakes – more roasted, salted pistachios! Give each cupcake a sprinkle right after frosting.
This is the kind of treat to whip up when you want to bring a little sophistication to the table. (Can cupcakes be sophisticated? I think so!) Perfect for milestone birthdays, ribbon cuttings, corporate events, weddings, and showers. They’re a little fancy and totally worth it.
Related recipe: Raspberry Pistachio Affogatos
Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cupcakes
Devil’s food cupcakes
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsweet dark cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 3/4 cup hot coffee freshly brewed if possible
Pistachio-ganache filling
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or bars chopped fine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons pistachio butter
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted salted pistachios
Pistachio Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup pistachio butter
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon green gel food color optional
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted salted pistachios for topping
Devil’s Food Cupcakes
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with 24 paper liners.
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Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs; beat again until lightened in color. Add the cocoa, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt; mix well.
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Beat in the flour in 3 additions alternately with the sour cream, begin and end with flour.
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Add the hot coffee at the end and mix until a smooth batter forms. Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, about 3/4 full.
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Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, or a toothpick tester comes out clean. The tops of the cupcakes should be well risen but flat on top. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting.
Pistachio chocolate ganache
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Combine the chocolate, cream, and pistachio butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 100% power for 1 minute. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk together until a smooth shiny ganache forms. Fold in the chopped pistachios. Transfer the ganache to a disposable piping bag.
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Cut a divot into the tops of each cupcake, deep enough to hold about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ganache filling. (Or, if you have a cupcake corer, now’s the time to use it!). Pipe the ganache into the centers of each cupcake. Set aside while you prepare the buttercream.
Pistachio buttercream
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the butter and pistachio butter. Mix until creamy and well combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat on low speed until the mixture comes together – it will be thick.
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Add in the heavy cream and beat on high speed until fluffy and lightened in color. Add the green food color, if using. Mix well on high speed.
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Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large closed decorator star tip. Working one at a time, pipe a swirl onto a cupcake, then immediately garnish with roasted salted chopped pistachios.
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Store cupcakes at room temperature in an air tight cupcake keeper for up to 3 days, or store in the refrigerator to extend shelf life. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Pistachio Butter vs Pistachio Paste: Pistachio butter is slightly different than pistachio paste. The butter is usually thicker than the paste and usually does not have sweeteners or additives. The paste, unlike the butter, may have additives such as sugar, powdered milk, oils, and emulsifiers.
Ganache Filling: If you enjoy these cupcakes right after they’ve been filled and frosted, the ganache center will be soft and loose. Over time, the ganache will firm to a soft truffle-like setting, which is also quite nice.