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1
Make the cupcakes:
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Heat oven to 325u00b0F Line cupcake or mini muffin pans with papers.
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In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl and using a handheld whisk, blend the flour, baking powder & salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
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4
If using a stand mixer, add the milk, sunflower oil, egg yolks, rose water and lemon zest, & beat on low speed for one minute. (If using hand mixer, whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. ).
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5
Make a well in the flour mixture, add the egg mixture, and, using a spatula, stir the mixture for 30 seconds to fully combine all the ingredients. This mixture will be thick.
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In a clean metal bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and sugar and beat on high speed just until the whites hold stiff peaks.
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Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the beaten whites and fold well to combine. Add the whites and pistachios to the bowl with the flour mixture and fold well to combine, making sure that there are no streaks left.
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Fill each cup of the muffin pan 3/4 full with batter. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean, about 10 minutes for minis muffins and about 15 minutes for regular cupcakes.
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Make the frosting:
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Set the bowl of a stand mixer over a pan of simmering water. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl. Whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, the whites are starting to thicken and turn white, and the temperature is about 110u00b0F (You don't need to be exact - just whisk for about 2 - 2 1/2 minutes and you should be fine.).
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Attach the bowl to the mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high speed until the whites are completely cool - this will take about 8 minutes.
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(You can do this step and the next using a handheld mixer, but it will take a littke longer & be more tiring!)
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Once the whites are cool, add the butter one piece at a time, completely incorporating each piece before adding the next.
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When you have added almost all of the butter, the mixture will start to separate and appear curdled, but don't worry - just keep beating and add the rest of the butter, and it will come together. I promise. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and silky.
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Add the rose water and 1 drop of the food coloring. Beat well to incorporate. The frosting should be a very pale rose pink color.
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Assemble the cupcakes:
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When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost each one using a large angled star tip - to make the frosting look like a rose. If you dont have one, spoon some frosting on to the cupcake & swirl caredully with a fork.
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18
Decorate each cupcake with a dried rosebud or paper tea rose and sprinkle a little bit of the reserved crushed pistachios around the rosebud.
