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homemade cupcake recipe
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This homemade cupcake recipe creates incredibly fluffy, tender cakes featuring aromatic cardamom and saffron, topped with an irresistible rosewater glaze and garnished with toasted pistachios. It is a foolproof guide transforming simple ingredients into a unique, family-friendly dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened (or use salted butter, reducing salt by a pinch)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 0.5 cup whole milk, at room temperature (unsweetened almond milk works for a lighter option)
- 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract (can swap in vanilla bean paste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- A pinch saffron threads (about 10-15 threads)
- 1 tablespoon boiling water (for steeping saffron)
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 2 teaspoons alcohol-free rosewater (for glaze)
- 2–3 tablespoons water or milk (for glaze, adjust consistency)
- 0.5 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios (for garnish)
- 0.5 teaspoon dried edible rose petals (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners, ensuring each cup is ready for batter.
- Steep Saffron: Gently crush the saffron threads and steep them in 1 tablespoon boiling water for 10 minutes until the water is deeply colored and fragrant. You can strain the threads if desired, but leaving them adds visual flecks.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and fine sea salt until well combined. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: Using an electric mixer, cream softened unsalted butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat for 3-4 minutes until pale and airy.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring full incorporation before adding the next. Scrape down bowl sides as needed. Stir in alcohol-free vanilla extract until fragrant.
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the whole milk, ground cardamom, and the steeped saffron liquid until fully combined and fragrant.
- Alternate Dry & Wet Mixtures: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture in two additions. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth and no flour streaks remain, avoiding overmixing. (If batter looks dense, gently fold in 1 tablespoon of milk to loosen it.)
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full for consistent domes.
- Bake Cupcakes: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back lightly to the touch, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They should feel firm to the touch when ready to move.
- Prepare Glaze: While cupcakes cool, prepare the glaze by whisking powdered sugar, alcohol-free rosewater, and 2 tablespoons water or milk until smooth. Add more liquid gradually, if needed, for a pourable consistency.
- Toast Pistachios: Finely chop pistachios. Lightly toast them in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and golden. Cool completely for crunch.
- Garnish & Serve: Serve cool cupcakes. Drizzle generously with rosewater glaze for an artful look. Immediately sprinkle toasted pistachios and dried edible rose petals on the wet glaze, creating vibrant contrast.
Notes
For dietary needs, consider using a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option, sugar substitutes like stevia, or dairy-free milk and butter alternatives for vegan options. Always use room temperature ingredients for the best emulsion and fresh baking powder for optimal rise. Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion (Middle Eastern/South Asian inspired)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 340 calories
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg