Ostara Fairy Cakes with Pistachios & Rose Buttercream

These rose & pistachio mini Ostara fairy cakes give any Ostara tea party a fairytale vibe. 

Serve these on your porch with some tea or take your cakes into the woodlands and make your Spring Equinox celebration magical with a picnic in a forest setting.

Tie on an apron, and let’s get started.

Ingredient Correspondences and Kitchen Witch Facts

The crucial ingredients in this recipe for Ostara fairy cakes symbolize key aspects of Ostara, the first spring holiday on the Wheel of the Year.

Pistachios

Ruled by Element of Earth, pistachios nourish life and ground us in the present moment.

Crack open a pistachio and peel back the paper-thin skin.  Underneath it, the bright green color of a shelled pistachio resembles the bright green of tender grass shoots and baby leaves emerging from the trees.

This shade of green symbolizes new beginnings and the early spring awakening of growth and renewal.

Lemon

We use the fresh, cleansing scent and flavor of lemons in witchcraft to clear negative energy and refresh the mind.

In this recipe, the sunny yellow color of lemons is a sun symbol and represents the growing of the light into the spring and summer months.

Rosewater

Although we generally think of roses as a component of love spells, in this case they symbolize dreams and good luck.

Spring is a season for imagining what is possible.

Add roses to your Ostara fairy cakes to weave the magic of hope and inspiration into your kitchen witch spells.

Making Rosewater

If you don’t have any rosewater on hand, it’s extremely easy to make.

I used the following method.

1.   Strip the petals from the stems of organic-grade roses. Rinse them under cool water to remove any dirt or debris.
2.   Place roses in a pot of spring water.
3.   Bring to a low simmer until rose petals lose most of their color.
4.  Allow to cool completely.  Strain the petals and store the extract in a sterilized glass jar in the refrigerator.

Pairings

Serve these delightful little Ostara fairy cakes with any of the following:

Purple Fairy Cocktail With Butterfly Peaflowers

Spring Fruit Salad

Pear Berry Goddess Bowls

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Nut Mix

Or keep it simple, and set these out with a bowl of strawberries, some nuts and a bottle of champagne.

Ingredients

For the cakes:

-1.5 cups flour

-3/4 cup pistachios, shelled

-1 teaspoon salt

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

-2 eggs

-1 cup sugar

-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

-3/4 cup milk

-1/4 cup rosewater

For the buttercream frosting:

-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temp

-juice of 1/2 lemon

-1 tablespoon rosewater

-2 cups confectioners sugar

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

In a blender or food processor, pulse shelled pistachios until they form a coarse powder.

Combine powder pistachios with flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, mix eggs, sugar, butter, milk and 1/4 cup rosewater.

Stir together wet ingredients with dry until smooth.

Divide evenly among cupcake tins.

Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 3

While cupcakes are baking, make the frosting.

Cream together butter and sugar.

Add rosewater and lemon juice.

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost cupcakes.  Optionally, garnish with lemon zest, crushed pistachios and/or (affiliate link —–>) dried, edible tea roses.

Serve and enjoy!  Happy Ostara!