Pistachio Cake

A super easy and delicious cake with great pistachio flavor!

1 hour, 15 minutes

Serves: 12-16

Easy

The flavors of pistachio and chocolate come together in this unique cake that's easy to make and is topped with a quick chocolate drizzle.

This Pistachio Cake is really easy and fun to make. It’s not technically a Grandma Jackie recipe but it’s been in the family for years and is certainly a vintage classic. It’s another great cake that is all based around adding to a boxed cake mix and of course, adding in a packet of pudding mix as well. Other than the cake and pudding mix boxes, you likely have everything on hand. You’ll find this is the perfect dessert for a party or just to jazz up your weeknight dinner.

Making this pistachio cake is super easy and other than the oven and a tea kettle, no real dangerous equipment is needed making this a GREAT cake recipe for little chefs. The steps are simple: dump in the two box mixes; crack, beat and add the eggs; measure and add the liquid ingredients; pour half into a prepped bundt pan; add cocoa to the remaining batter and mix; and then add to the bundt pan and bake! Decorating the cake is also a breeze with a simple chocolate drizzle made from powdered sugar, a bit of chocolate and boiling water. I added some chopped pistachios to the top which I think looks nice and also gives people an idea of the flavor of the cake before they cut into it.

I hope you give this cake a try. If you do, please let me know what you think in the comments or share a pic of the final product with me on Instagram (@bdhbakes).

Steps:

Preheat Oven to 350º
Prep Bundt Pan
Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray for baking or butter the pan and dust with a light layer of flour.
Add Cake and Pudding Mixes
In a large mixing bowl, add the yellow cake mix and the pistachio pudding mix. Whisk together to combine and evenly distribute.
Add Beaten Eggs
In a separate small bowl, add all four (room temperature) eggs. Gently beat them and then add them to the big mixing bowl.
Add Liquids
To the large mixing bowl add the Orange Juice, Vegetable Oil and Water.
Mix to Combine
Whisk all ingredients together until just combined and there are no lumps. Do this by hand to keep the cake from getting tough or dry.
Pour First Layer
Pour about half of the cake batter into the prepped bundt pan and flatten the top.
Add Chocolate Layer
To the half of the batter that remains in the mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder and mix (again by hand) until it is all one uniform color and smooth. Add the remaining chocolate batter to the bundt pan on top of the first layer and smooth the top.
Bake the Cake
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the Cake and Unmold
Cool the cake on a wire rack in the bundt pan for a minimum of 10 minutes. Gently run a wooden skewer or butter knife around the interior and exterior edges of the cake. Place the serving tray on top of the bundt pan and flip the cake over to unmold. Allow to continue to cool for at least an hour before frosting.
Make Chocolate Drizzle
Once the cake is completely cooled, make the frosting by placing the powdered sugar in a large (4 cup or so) measuring cup with a spout. Add 1 ounce of chocolate, chopped to the powdered sugar. Next add 3 Tablespoons of boiling water and whisk until smooth. Add additional boiling water by the Tablespoon (up to 6 total) until the mixture is the desired consistency. You want it so when you drop a bit on your finger it pools and doesn't run.
Finish the Cake
Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the cake so that it covers the top and runs down the sides. If you'd like to add chopped pistachios, be sure to do that quickly before the chocolate drizzle sets.