Pistachio Cake with Pistachio Frosting

This Pistachio Cake with Pistachio Frosting is the most moist, melt-in-your-mouth cake I’ve ever had, with distinct pistachio flavor, a tinge of almond, and a thick layer of fluffy, light-as-a-cloud pistachio icing! A recipe with a few short-cuts, and with simple, easy steps, this Pistachio Cake recipe is very beginner-friendly!

To easily view all of the blog recipes, follow along on Pinterest! 

A baking trend that I’ve been really digging the last few years is the rise of intentionally imperfect and purposefully undone -looking cakes…. the fact that it’s actually trendy and desirable to have a cake seem slapped together. I’m here for it!

I used to enjoy cake decorating a lot, piping tips and all that jazz, but I haven’t done it regularly in the last few years, so it’s a relearning process every time. A bit of a hassle. These days, we don’t need sophisticated cake-decorating techniques because it’s cool for a cake to actually look homemade. Yay! 

Incidentally, my S.O.’s family put together a family recipe book of all their favorites through the ages, and a Pistachio Pudding Cake recipe appears in there as well. It was a staple of one of his grandmother’s.

I’ve noticed that it can have slight variation in the number of eggs, as well as the amount of oil. The recipe below is written using the proportions that I’ve followed.

This iteration calls for more oil than some versions, but the cake itself is not remotely greasy… not even a little. I think the amount of oil makes the cake a little flatter too, honestly, but it’s so insanely light and soft, despite its short stature. It couldn’t be further from dense even though it looks kinda sunken.

The Pistachio Frosting is not thick, heavy, or crazy-sugary like a buttercream. The frosting is light, whipped, and fluffy. Sweet, of course, but not cloying. This is right up my S.O.’s alley. I don’t discriminate against any frosting, and I love them all, but he really prefers a lighter, less sweet frosting. Something whipped and creamy, just like this.

It’s a whipped cream-based icing so it’s naturally very fluffy and airy. Because it starts out as heavy whipping cream (you can totally sub Cool Whip or tub whipped topping), which ultimately contains a high amount of fat, it produces a very lush and luxurious icing. As light and airy as this Pistachio Frosting is, it is still rich and satisfying. And it’s distinctly pistachio-flavored with a hint of almond.

The combination of absurdly moist, melt-in-your-mouth Pistachio Cake, with airy, creamy, fluffy frosting, is kinda to-die-for. With pistachio top-to-bottom, and a touch of almond to round it out, you’re going to find this old tried-and-true Pistachio Cake recipe has withstood the test of time.

• Add 10 or 12oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, minced; or
• 1 cup chopped pecans; or
• 1 cup (wait for it) chopped pistachios; or
• 1 cup shredded coconut. 
• If combining any mix-ins listed above, reduce each to 1/2 cup.

• Ginger ale, 7up, Sprite, any lemon-lime soda, or even Mountain Dew will work, but do not use a sugar-free version! 
• White, French Vanilla, yellow, butter recipe yellow…. any of those cake mixes will work.

Pistachio Cake with Pistachio Frosting

Sarah

This Pistachio Cake with Pistachio Frosting is the most moist, melt-in-your-mouth cake I've ever had, with distinct pistachio flavor, a tinge of almond, and a thick layer of fluffy, light-as-a-cloud pistachio icing! A recipe with a few short-cuts, and with a short list of easy steps, this Pistachio Cake recipe is very beginner-friendly!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

For Pistachio Cake:

• 1 box white or yellow cake mix I used white
• 3.4 oz. box instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1 cup lemon-lime soda, 7up, Sprite, or ginger ale not sugar-free
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

For Pistachio Frosting:

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 3.4 oz. box instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1 cup cold whole or 2% milk
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Instructions

 

For Pistachio Cake:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, soda, oil, eggs and almond extract.
• Beat on low for 1 minute, or until blended.
• Adjust the mixer to medium-high speed, and beat for 2 minutes.
• Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown, appear set, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Remove pans to wire racks to cool for 20 minutes, before carefully removing cakes from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For Pistachio Frosting:

• In a small mixing bowl, using a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
• In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix, milk, and almond extract until smooth.
• Fold the whipped topping into the pudding mixture until just blended. Do not overmix.
• Place a cake layer on a serving platter.
• Frost the top evenly with about 1/3 of the frosting mixture (eyeball it).
• Carefully place the remaining cake layer on top.
• Frost top and sides.
• Chill for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.
• Store in refrigerator.

Notes

Substitute an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip or whipped topping for heavy cream and powdered sugar mixture.

Cake layers can be prepared ahead of time, and frozen, if needed, for up to 3 months. Wrap well and store in the freezer.

Frosting cannot be prepared until cake is ready to be frosted and assembled. This type of frosting will not store well made in advance. It also will not freeze well. Because it is whipped cream-based, the whipped cream will deflate over time, and it is best to prepare the frosting no more than a day ahead of time.

Keyword pistachio cake, pistachio cake recipe, pistachio frosting, pistachio pudding cake

 Adapted from this recipe and this recipe, combining elements that I prefer from each.