Pistachio Cupcakes with Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting

Directions

• Step 1 For the Pistachio Sponge Cake mix flour, pistachios & baking powder, sift. You can blend it beforehand for an even finer consistency.
• Step 2 Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff. Then gradually add the egg yolks and mix well.
• Step 3 Sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix.
• Step 4 In a small bowl, mix the oil, milk and a little green food colouring. Then add to the batter and mix well.
• Step 5 Prepare a cake tin (20cm diameter). If you only have one cake tin, divide the batter into two and bake one after the other. Each cake will yield about 3 pstacia cake circles, so bake two cakes for 6 servings (if you only want 3 servings, divide the ingredients by two).
• Step 6 Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake each for 20-25 minutes at 180C.
• Step 7 Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the cake tin and turn it over. Now cut out circles with a mould or glass (diameter 8cm). The smaller the circles, the more portions will come out. Place the small pistachio circles on a plate.
• Step 8 For the Raspberry – Mascarpone Frosting puree the raspberries and sieve them. Place the puree in the freezer.
• Step 9 Whip the cream until stiff, if you like you can add some cream stiffener. Then add the vanilla essence and a little sugar if you like. If you want it really pink, add a few drops of red food colouring. Mix thoroughly.
• Step 10 Pour the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it onto the pistachio circles in a circular motion.
• Step 11 Then pipe the pistachio macarons on top. I would make these the day before, you can see the recipe for them in the ingredients.