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Made with yellow cake mix, crushed pineapple, and pistachio pudding, this Pistachio Cake is incredibly moist and flavorful – not to mention easy to make!
Pistachio is a very underrated flavor in the dessert world, in my opinion. Personally, I LOVE it and always make as many pistachio desserts as possible, like pistachio lush, pistachio bread, and Watergate salad. This pistachio cake is a classic, one I’m shocked I haven’t shared already. And unlike many similar recipes, this one is incredibly quick and easy to make!
Why I Love This Pistachio Cake Recipe
- Lots of pistachio flavor. Both the cake and the frosting are made with pistachio pudding, which adds a lot more pistachio flavor to this cake than other recipes I’ve tried. I also like to top it with crushed pistachios.
- Super moist cake. Crushed pineapple and oil add lots of moisture to this cake. It’s dense but not heavy, which pairs nicely with the light frosting.
- Incredibly easy. I used a cake mix as the base for this recipe. That means fewer ingredients and no need to measure dry ones. Plus, a sheet cake is so much easier than a cake with layers. I love to keep things quick and easy, when it doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
Both the cake and frosting require just a few ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
Pistachio Cake Ingredients:
- Yellow cake mix – Starting this recipe with a cake mix helps keep it quick and easy.
- Eggs
- Pistachio pudding mix – Be sure to use instant pistachio pudding, not the cook-and-serve kind.
- Vegetable oil – Adds moisture to the cake.
- Crushed pineapple – For flavor, texture, and moisture. Do not drain as the liquid is needed for the cake batter.
- Gel food coloring – A few drops of green gel food coloring adds the bright green flavor to the cake.
Pistachio Frosting
- Pistachio pudding mix – Using more pistachio pudding in the frosting adds even more flavor to the cake.
- Milk – Keep it cold and refrigerated until ready to use.
- Whipped topping – Cool Whip or the store brand, thawed.
- Pistachios – Chopped pistachios add a final touch to the cake and more pistachio flavor.
How To Make Pistachio Cake
This is one of the easiest cake recipes I’ve ever made!
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray the pan with non-stick spray.
- Make the batter. Combine the cake ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely before adding the frosting.
- Make the frosting. Whisk together the pudding mix and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes to firm up. Fold the whipped topping into the pudding.
- Frost the cake. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Sprinkle ground pistachios on top.
- Chill. Refrigerate the frosted pistachio cake for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few things to keep in mind while making this pistachio cake recipe.
- Food coloring optional. The food coloring simply adds a bright green color to the cake. Without it, it’ll be a very light green color.
- Make the frosting brighter. For a green frosting, just add a drop or two of food coloring when mixing it. We have also made this with cream cheese frosting with amazing results.
- Try it with walnuts. While pistachios are the obvious topping for pistachio cake, walnuts (or any other nuts) are a good substitute for presentation.
- Cool the cake completely. Be sure to let the cake cool completely to room temperature before adding the frosting. It’s a light frosting that will melt easily if the cake is still warm.
- Chill before serving. It’s important to let the cake chill for at least 30 minutes after frosting. This gives the pudding in the frosting time to solidify.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store leftover pistachio cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. The cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Thaw overnight then enjoy.
Pistachio Cake
Made with yellow cake mix, crushed pineapple, and pistachio pudding, this Pistachio Cake is incredibly moist and flavorful – not to mention easy to make!
Servings: 12 slices
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 3.4 ounce instant pistachio pudding mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple undrained
- Green gel food coloring optional
Frosting Ingredients:
- 3.4 ounce instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 ½ cups cold milk
- 8 ounces whipped topping (thawed)
- ⅓ cup pistachios chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and sit aside.
- In a large bowl, add in yellow cake mix,eggs, instant pudding mix, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple and a few drops of food coloring (if you wish).
- With a hand mixer, mix all ingredients on medium until well combined.
- Pour batter into a 9×13 pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely on a cooling rack.
Frosting Directions:
- In a large bowl, add instant pistachio pudding mix and milk and whisk until well combined.
- Let sit for 5 minutes until the pudding mix has firmed.
- Fold in the whipped topping into the pudding.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and sprinkle pistachios on top.
- Place cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight before serving.
Last Step:
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Store leftover pistachio cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 1mg
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