Pistachio Cake

I really wanted to come up with a cute name for this cake.

Something like, Perfectly Pistachio Cake or 

St. Patrick's Pistachio Cake or something much more exciting than those two options.

I'm horrible with coming up with recipe titles.

Have you ever been on Pinterest?
There are all kinds of neat looking recipes with cute and catchy names.

And have you ever noticed that lots of the popular recipes start off with the word "Crack".

You got your Crack Potatoes, your Crack Weenies (yes, I actually saw a recipe called Crack Weenies) and your Crack Bread. Does adding that word make it more appealing to Pinsters?
Apparently so.

Maybe I should have called this Crack Pistachio Cake.  

But all I got to offer is Pistachio Cake {sigh}
I thank y'all for sticking with me even though my choice in recipe names are kinda lackluster. 

Now, about this cake....

This particular cake has a very mild pistachio flavor.

To me, pistachios have a very light flavor, kinda like almonds. 

They aren't a very nutty nut. If ya know what I mean.

The raw nut itself almost tastes sweet.

 I like them raw but I know a lot of folks may prefer them roasted and salted.

This cake captures that very mild pistachio flavor. A lot of folks will know there is something different about this cake but probably won't be able to put their finger on exactly what it is until you tell them.  Unless the green coloring gives it away first....

And the green makes it kinda perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

I tend to make a lot of mint flavored goodies for this particular fun holiday but I wanted to go outside my usual mint treats.  And when I was thinking green, pistachio is what popped up first.

Even my non-nut loving brood enjoyed this one.

Hey, it's green, what's not to love??

Note: many pistachios puddings have very tiny chunks of pistachios added to the mix so please skip this recipe all together if there are any nut allergies in your serving area. 

  Ingredients:
FOR THE CAKE:
1 box vanilla, white or yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant pistachio pudding
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup milk
green food coloring (optional)

FOR THE FROSTING:
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant pistachio pudding
1/2 cup milk
1 (8oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
green food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine dry cake mix with dry instant pistachio pudding.

Mix those together until combined.

Then add in eggs, oil and milk.

Stir just until combined.

This next part is optional but I like to make this cake a bit more green.

I add in a few drops of green food coloring. About 6 to 8 drops.

It just depends on how green you would like it.

Stir until the food coloring is totally incorporated.

  Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes. 

Check around the 25 minute mark.
If you insert a toothpick into it, it should come out clean when done.
Now, it will look brown when you take it out.
Don't panic, that's why I show you these step-by-step pictures.
It is green inside and the frosting is gonna cover that top anyway.
Allow cake to cool completely before making frosting.

To make frosting, put instant pistachio pudding mix into a mixing bowl.

Add in 1/2 cup cold milk.

Stir until combined.

Now stir in your thawed whipped topping.

Once again, I put in a few drops of green food coloring to really bring out that green color.

About 5 drops or so.  

Spread frosting onto cooled cake.

If you didn't let the cake cool completely, the frosting is just gonna melt into cake.

And no one wants that!

Slice and serve.

If you like, sprinkle with some crushed pistachios.

This cake needs to be kept refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe Here

Looking for more "Green" recipes?
Be sure to check out this Grasshopper Cake.
It tastes just like a Andes chocolate or a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie!