Pistachio Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

This recipe was kind of a last minute thought.  I had to throw together a sweet treat for a co-workers birthday last week and realized I didn't have much time.  I had gotten my kids in bed and it was becoming late.  I knew I had a cake mix in the pantry, but what should I do with it?  Then I remembered I had a box of pistachio pudding in the cabinet...the rest is history.  And a new recipe that I will make over and over.

(printable recipe) 

18 cupcakes:
1 box of yellow cake mix & all ingredients that it calls for
1 box of pistachio pudding mix
few drops of green food coloring 
1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1. Combine cake mix and it's ingredients as packaging instructs.
2. Add in pudding mix and combine well. Mix in a few drops of green food coloring to enhance the pistachio pudding color. 
3. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full with batter.
4. Bake as directed on cake mix packaging.** may need to bake a few extra minutes, the pudding makes batter extra moist
5. Cool and frost.  Top with pecans.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Blend cream cheese and butter with mixer until creamy.
2. With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowls as needed. 
3. Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium. Blend until frosting is fluffy.  

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Thanks ~ Nichi

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