Crush the saffron between your fingers and add it to the milk. Add cardamom too.
Let it sit and infuse for 2-3 minutes.
Once the milk becomes lukewarm or cools down, add in the vinegar and let it sit for a minute.
In the meantime, to a bowl add in all the dry ingredients except sugar.
Add in the almond flour, sift in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In another bowl, cream the sugar with milk. Once the sugar has melted and mixed well add in the oil, vanilla, rose water, and whisk until smooth and the oil is fully emulsified.
Now slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid bowl in batches and whisk until it turns into a smooth and lump-free batter.
The batter should be flowy ribbon-like consistency. If the batter is too thick add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time to adjust the consistency.
Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners about ¾ cup full and bake in a preheated oven.
If you have a big oven, bake them altogether by placing the pans on the middle and the bottom rack.
Or wait for one batch to bake, meanwhile stick the other pan in the fridge until baking.
The time taken for standard cupcakes is 14-16 minutes and a fancy big cupcake liner like I have used is 19-21 minutes.
Check if they are done with a toothpick. Insert it in the center most cupcake and it should come out clean without any sticky batter.
Take them out and let them cool completely before frosting.
Frosting the cupcakes
I have used 1.5 tubs of cool whip.
You will need an icing bag and an open flower nozzle. I have used Wilton 1M. You can use any.
Create variation
Smear a thin layer of gulkand on rose flavor cupcake, ¼th teaspoon each cupcake.
Now make frosting swirls on each cupcake.
Add in rose petals for rose flavor cupcakes and crushed nuts on the thandai milk one.
Fill pipettes with flavored milk.
Squeeze the air out of the pipettes by pressing them. Now while keeping it pressed put the open end of the pipette pipe in the milk and allow them to fill while slowly releasing the pressure.
Gently insert a pipette into the frosting on each cupcake. Do not squeeze the pipettes, just put it in until it reaches the cupcake sponge and secure by piercing it just a little bit.
Rose milk goes on rose cupcakes and the thandai milk on the nut top one.
Refrigerate the cupcakes covered until served.
You can keep the pipettes filled with milk in a separate container and add it to the cupcakes just before serving.