Pistachio Cupcakes with Homemade Buttercream

I recently made these pistachio cupcakes for a baby shower and let me tell you, they were AHHmazing!! So easy to make and so flavorful. Do you ever notice how most desserts are left over. Like no one ever eats all the cupcakes. Well not this time, I had one measly cupcake left over that I hoarded for myself. They were so delicious. Everyone commented on how tasty they were and how the buttercream was the best.

Using a simple cake box mix. Needs to be white or vanilla. 

Add in the pistachio mix dry, do not make the pudding just add the dry ingredients to the dry cake mix. Now follow along with the box directions. The cupcakes come out with a hint of green. You could add a few green food coloring drops to make a prettier green. I would have if I had thought of it. 

For the frosting:

Homemade buttercream frosting: recipe from food network.

Ingredients

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

I used this site to learn how to frost cupcakes. I think I did a pretty good job at my first time attempting pretty frosting. I used a wilton 2D tip and a coupler, starting from the outside make a swirl into the middle. I finished off with sugar pearls, I purchased these at Joann's.