This recipe is very much like the Easiest Chocolate Cake I made a few weeks back. Which by the way got rave reviews from the people I baked it for. I am baking this recipe for the same people, we'll see what they think!! I tasted it and it's moist, a nice green color, and deliciously nutty!! If you love pistachios you will be sure to love this one!!!
1 box Classic Yellow Cake mix
8 oz. whole shelled pistachios, grounded. (Be sure to reserve 1/2 cup for decoration on top of the frosting)
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup water
1 package Pistachio Flavor JELL-O (not prepared)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put aside 1/2 cup of the ground nuts aside for later. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl, whisk to combine well, and pour into a loaf pan, muffin tins, etc. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean and golden brown.
I made 24 mini muffins, and still had left over batter for a 9x9 inch brownie pan. I cooked the mini muffins for 25 minutes and the cake for about 40 minutes. I frosted the mini muffins with Vanilla Bean Frosting. The frosting is made with confectioner's sugar and Earth Balance Natural Shortening, it's like a vegan version of butter for baking. (Make sure to get the green package, the other one contains salt.) 
I am not frosting them yet, because I want it to be fresh, but here is the recipe for the Vanilla Bean Frosting. It can be made vegan if you use non-dairy soy milk and vegan natural shortening!!
Vanilla Bean Frosting
2 cups confectioner's sugar (if you want a really sweet icing add more sugar, to taste)
1 cup butter OR Earth Balance Natural Shortening (at room temp.)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste (OR vanilla extract w/the beans of a vanilla bean scraped out)
1 tablespoon milk or soy milk (can be vanilla flavored)
Blend ingredients together and frost cupcakes just before serving. Sprinkle some ground pistachios on top! (You should have about 1/2 cup leftover from the cake recipe!)
