Pistachio and Cardamom Eggless Cupcake with Saffron Cream Cheese Frosting...

My daughter warns me many time not to muddle up with some recipes..:-P she says keep it to original, I have a habit of turning many recipes into Indian taste, well  in some degree she is right..we should leave alone some to originals. But this time I couldn't resist, since an idea struck into my mind to make cupcakes with some Indian touch.

 I wanted to make something different for my daughter's 18th birthday so I thought let's give it a go..and I actually managed to pull it through ! So by using pistachio nuts, cardamom and saffron as the main ingredients in the cupcakes I gave it an Indian recognition intentionally. In most Indian sweets and puddings these three ingredients are a must....and the flavours and aromas these bring are mouthwatering !

You will need :- 12 cupcakes

• 140 g self raising flour
• 40 ml sunflower oil
• handful of crushed pistachio
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 120 g sugar
• 175ml milk at room temperature
• 1 tsp natural yogurt
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• few drops of cardamom essence

You will need for the saffron frosting :-

• 125 g butter at room temperature
• 200 g cream cheese ( hang the cheese in a muslin cloth to remove any water )
• 150 g icing sugar
• Few drops of saffron essence
• 2-3 saffron threads soaked in a 1tsp warm milk

Method :-
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 175-180 degree C. Line 12 cupcake trays with paper cups. In a one bowl sift the dry ingredients together except sugar. Mix milk and cider vinegar and leave it for 5 minutes. It should curdle a little. Now mix milk mixture and other wet ingredients, whisk about 3-4 minutes. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and combine. Now fill cup cakes with batter up the half way of paper cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until  a skewer ( toothpick ) inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cup cakes cool completely.

Method for the frosting:-
Whip up the butter and cheese till light and fluffy, add sugar, essence and saffron thread and whip up few seconds. Fill a piping bag with choice of your nozzle with saffron frosting. Pipe your cupcakes .