Pine Nut and Candied Orange Peel Cupcakes With Christmas Spice Buttercream Frosting

(Makes ~15 cupcakes)

Cupcakes
3/4 cup pine nuts
1 stick butter, unsalted/room temp
1/4 light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, large/room temp
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup candied orange peel, roughly chopped

To make the cupcakes

1. Toast pine nuts at 350 for 7 minutes. Grind pine nuts with in a food processor. I removed some of the nuts (about 1/4) while they were still chunky then ground the rest up a bit more. Pine nuts are oily so they never get very fine and they will start to clump up.
   
   
2. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
   
   
3. Add the brown sugar and regular sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
   
   
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.
   
   
5. Add the ground pine nuts. Beat to combine.
   
   
6. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
   
   
7. Measure out orange juice and vanilla together.
   
   
8. Add about a third of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
   
   
9. Add all of the juice/vanilla mixture and beat until combined.
   
   
10. Add another third of the flour mixture and beat to combine.
    
    
11. Add the ricotta cheese and beat to combine.
    
    
12. Add the rest of the flour and beat to combine. Mix in the orange peel.
    
    
13. Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full. These cupcakes will shrink slightly when they cool.
    
    
14. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
    

Christmas Spice Buttercream Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground clove

To make the frosting

1. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
   
   
2. Sift sugar into the butter. Add vanilla and spices and beat to combine.
   
   
3. Add more powdered sugar to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like. 2 cups worked for me.
   

Note: This is a very spicy buttercream. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you add half the amount of spices to start with. I liked its holiday flavor-intensity.