Reminiscent of the popular Watergate Cake, this Pistachio Pudding Cake is not only pretty, but tasty as well! Moist and flavorful, this coconut and pistachio cake is topped with a creamy pistachio cream cheese frosting which takes it a step up from the traditional cake.
This cake starts with a cake mix – making it an easy dessert. For more desserts that start with a cake mix, try these Cake Mix Cookies or this Dump Cake.
Are you a fan of pistachio desserts?
I think this Pistachio Pudding Cake throws people off at first. Maybe most people aren’t familiar with the retro pistachio pudding? (Which I never really thought it tasted like pistachios – mostly like almond extract to me!)
The green may make you take a double take, but this cake is seriously so delicious. It’s perfectly moist, light and fluffy, and the frosting is so incredibly good. Plus, it’s super easy to make and starts with a cake mix.
What is a Watergate Cake?
If you’ve heard of a Watergate Cake, this cake may look somewhat familiar.
There are many stories out there about the origin of the Watergate Cake. Some people claim that it was invented around the time of the watergate scandal – with an icing to cover up the cake. Others say that the Watergate salad was actually the first creation that was made at the Watergate Hotel.
Regardless of where the name comes from, I just know that I love this cake. The Watergate Salad has crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, nuts, pistachio pudding and cool whip. This cake takes those traditional flavors – minus the pineapples and marshmallows – and turns them into a show stopping cake.
This cake is a little different than the typical watergate cake. First of all, it’s not baked in a bundt pan. I decided to go with a traditional layer cake for mine. A typical Watergate Cake has a frosting made from dream whip, milk and pistachio pudding. Plus coconut and pecans. But I wanted something different. I changed up the frosting to a cream cheese based frosting, and since I didn’t add pistachios to the cake, I topped the cake with some.
You guys – this frosting is so good. I honestly didn’t think I would love love it with the pudding mix, but it was amazing.
Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this cake.
- White cake mix – I don’t think brand should matter too much here. And I know that the weights of cake mixes are kind of all over the place. But a white cake mix that is between 15-17 oz should work just fine. Many watergate cakes also have yellow cake mix, and that can be subbed in here, too.
- Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix – You’ll need 2 packages – one for the cake and one for the frosting. This is just the dry mix – not prepared.
- Lemon-Lime Soda – Like Sprite or 7up. So apparently, you can substitute the eggs and oil in a cake mix for a can of soda, but that’s not what I’m doing here. The soda will help keep the cake tender and help it to rise.
- Coconut Oil – I used coconut oil because I was out of vegetable oil. If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, vegetable oil will work. I melt the coconut oil before adding it.
- Eggs – A super important ingredient, both for texture and for the cake to rise.
- Coconut – I used sweetened, shredded coconut. You could probably get away with using unsweetened coconut, but it will be a little less sweet.
- Cream Cheese – I have not tried this with lower fat cream cheese, only full fat.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar.
- Milk – I just use 2% because that is what we always have on hand.
- Frozen Whipped Topping – aka Cool Whip. I haven’t tried substituting homemade whipped cream, but my guess is that it would work.
- Pistachios – These are sometimes hard to find out of the shells, but they are becoming more and more readily available.
- Toasted Coconut – To toast the coconut, I like to add the sweetened coconut to a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring very often, until it is toasted and brown. You can also place it on a baking sheet and bake at 350º until it is toasted. But it goes fast, so make sure you keep an eye on it!
Tips for Making this Pistachio Pudding Cake
- This cake batter will be very thick with the coconut oil. I used an offset spatula to spread it out into the cake pans.
- The cake can also be made in a 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make sure your ingredients are all at room temperature.
- If you want a more pronounced green color, feel free to add in some food coloring.
More Pistachio Recipes
This Pistachio Lemon Pound Cake is out of this world.
I think these Pistachio Cookies belong in every cookie jar.
Or you can take it back to basics with this Pistachio Cake!
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Pistachio Pudding Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 white cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz package instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 cup lemon-lime soda
- 3/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Frosting:
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 3.4 oz package instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 oz frozen whipped topping thawed (Cool Whip)
Toppings:
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/2 cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, lemon-lime soda, coconut oil and eggs. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the coconut.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans. The batter will be very thick. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pans.
- Bake until a tester inserted comes out clean, 22-25 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and the pudding mix. Start adding the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is thin enough to spread. Fold in the whipped topping.
- To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread some of the frosting on the cake, then top with the second layer. Cover the cake with the remaining frosting and smooth with an offset spatula.
- Press the toasted coconut to the sides of the cake, and sprinkle the top the chopped pistachios. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Gabriella Fiorentino says
Do add the soda in addition to everything else? Like the cake mix the eggs the oil and the soda.
Deborah says
Yes – the soda gets added in in step 2, with the cake mix and pudding mix.
Gabriella Fiorentino says
Trying this for Christmas day! Can’t wait! 🤞
Pammyc says
4 oz of Cool Whip ` is that by weight or fluid oz (i.e. one half cup) Cool Whip no longer comes in 4 oz tubs although it originally did, probably when this recipe first appeared. Did you use half an 8 oz tub?
Deborah says
It is by weight – so half of the 8 oz container.
Rachel says
This sounds delicious! When you melt the coconut oil, do you add it to the cake batter right after melting it, or do you let it cool down?
Deborah says
You’ll want it to cool a little bit, but it can still be warm.
AMbala cakes says
I really like your recipe.