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Pistachio Cake (+Video)

This easy Pistachio Cake recipe starts with a boxed cake mix and it is transformed into a super yummy cake that tastes homemade!

AN EASY PISTACHIO CAKE RECIPE

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.

slice, easy green pistachio cake on a white plate

TIPS FOR MAKING PISTACHIO CAKE:

  • The green color makes it perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. The green is optional if you aren’t a fan of food colorings.
  • Natural food colorings can be used.
  • 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.
  • Vanilla, white, butter or yellow cake mixes can all be used for this recipe.
  • The pudding must be instant – not cook and serve.
  • This can be made in a bundt pan or as a layer cake.
Easy Green Pistachio Cake recipe from The Country Cook

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • vanilla cake mix
  • instant pistachio pudding
  • large eggs
  • oil
  • milk
  • green food coloring (optional)
  • whipped topping (Cool Whip)
vanilla cake mix, instant pistachio pudding, large eggs, oil, milk, green food coloring, milk, whipped topping (Cool Whip)

HOW TO MAKE PISTACHIO CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13 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.

green food coloring stirred into cake batter in a glass bowl

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

green pistachio cake batter poured into prepared baking dish

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. 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.

instant pistachio pudding whisked together with milk in a glass bowl

Now stir in the 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.

whipped topping added to pistachio pudding mixture in bowl

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!

finished, Pistachio Cake with slices removed (in baking dish)

Slice and serve. If you like, sprinkle with some crushed pistachios or green sprinkles. This cake needs to be kept refrigerated.

bite taken out of Pistachio Cake

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Originally published: March 2013
Updated & republished: February 2020

Easy Pistachio Cake

Pistachio Cake (+Video)

This easy Pistachio Cake recipe starts with a boxed cake mix and it is transformed into a super yummy cake that tastes homemade!
4.91 from 133 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pistachio Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 210kcal

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix (or white/yellow cake mix)
  • 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup cold milk
  • green food coloring

For the frosting:

  • 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 ounce tub frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)

Instructions

To make the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix with 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding. Mix those together until combined.
  • Then add in 3 large eggs, 1 cup oil and 1 cup cold milk. Stir just until combined.
  • Stir in about 6 to 8 drops of green food coloring until fully incorporated.
  • Pour into prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for about 25-30 minutes. If you insert a toothpick into it, it should come out clean when done.
  • Allow cake to cool completely before making frosting.

To make frosting:

  • Pour 3.4 ounce box instant pistachio pudding into a mixing bowl. Add in 1/2 cup milk. Stir until combined.
  • Stir in 8 ounce tub frozen whipped topping, thawed.
  • 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.
  • Slice and serve. If you like, sprinkle with some crushed pistachios.

Video

Notes

If you like, sprinkle with some crushed pistachios.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 75mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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118 Comments

  1. Hi, can I use buttercream frosting on this cake? I think the Cool Whip would be too runny after a while, is this true?
    Thank you

  2. My mother loves “pastachio” (almond) flavored deserts so I make this for her birthday every year, this April ill make it for the 3rd time and ill try not to mess it up this time. even though I’ve messed up twice she has loved it nonetheless, great recipe.

  3. I have a question I Work at an assisted living facility as a server,I often make desserts as well. My question we use a bulk cake mix that you only ad water to. Occasionally when I don’t have time to bake the desserts from scratch they have me use the cake mix. The problem with this particular cake mix is the cake turns out super crumbly and falls apart easily. Does anyone have any suggestions for me to help it stick together better? I mainly bake from scratch and don’t have a ton of experience with mixes.

    1. Have you tried using 1/2 water 1/2 milk? With the big bulk industrial mixes that helps sometimes. The milk adds more moisture.

  4. 5 stars
    My mom has been making this cake for my sisters birthday ever since i can remember. It is absolutely the best homemade cake i have ever had. Every one loves it and there is rarely any left. If you make extra icing it is good to put on individual slices. And serve it cold. Try it.. it will be a favorite

  5. I remember this cake from when I was a kid. We’re trying it, substituting applesauce for the oil because, in our calculations, the cake and frosting come to 273 calories per serving, without the oil. With the oil would be more like 500 calories per serving, in the interest of full disclosure. Please let me know if I’m wrong, but I did the math.