My best friend Sandi whipped up this wonderful Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake made with a boxed cake mix and pudding for our last family gathering in Georgia. It was so delicious, I had to share the recipe.
EASY PISTACHIO PUDDING BUNDT CAKE
Looking for a quick and easy pistachio cake recipe? This version uses a boxed cake mix and pudding for ultimate convenience. The result? A super moist and flavorful cake that’s perfect for any occasion. This easy pistachio cake is guaranteed to be a hit at any gathering.
Read great reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!
Original Post Date, March 3, 2018. Post Updated, March 26, 2024
This easy bundt cake is bursting with nutty flavor and stays moist thanks to a secret ingredient – boxed pudding! Perfect for busy bakers – just a few ingredients and you’re ready to bake.
Ingredients Needed to Make Pistachio Bundt Cake with Pudding
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 1 cup of water
- 2 (3.4 ounces each) Pistachio Instant Pudding mix
- 1/2 cup of oil (canola or vegetable)
- 5 large eggs
- powdered sugar for dusting the cake after baking
How to Make Pistachio Cake with Cake Mix and Pudding
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt cake pan with non-stick cooking spray, making sure it is coated well.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the first four ingredients together, then add one egg at a time, beating into the mix. Mix for 2 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake on middle rack of oven for 55–60 minutes (adjust baking time according to how fast/slow your oven bakes).
Check the center of cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Last, dust with powdered sugar, slice, serve, enjoy!
Love for this cake year-round! It’s a holiday favorite at Sandi’s, but the yummy green color and nutty flavor make it perfect for spring too! Great for brunches, potlucks, and any get-together.
This pistachio cake is delicious on its own! Just a sprinkle of powdered sugar makes it pretty. But if you love frosting, I added a yummy Dream Whip frosting recipe in the recipe card below – perfect for pistachio cake!
Calling all 60s and 70s kids! This Pistachio Cake is a wonderful throwback dessert, similar to the Watergate Cake. Its origins might date back to the 1960s or early 1970s. It remains a cherished tradition in many families to this day.
Please share your memories of this pistachio goodness in the comments below!
MORE DELICIOUS EASY CAKE RECIPES
Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Bundt Cake Pan
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 2 boxes (3.4 ounces each) Pistachio Instant Pudding mix
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 5 large eggs
- powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
Optional Dream Whip Frosting Recipe (use in place of powdered sugar):
- 2 envelopes Dream Whip
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package pistachio instant pudding mix
- 1 ¼ cups cold milk
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt cake pan with non-stick cooking spray, making sure it is coated well.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the first four ingredients together, then add one egg at a time, beating into the mix. Mix for 2 minutes.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake on middle rack of oven for 55–60 minutes (adjust baking time according to how fast/slow your oven bakes). Check the center of cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Last, dust with powdered sugar, slice, serve, enjoy!
Optional Dream Whip Frosting Recipe (use in place of powdered sugar):
- Pour all the ingredients in a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Frost cake and refrigerate.
Notes
ANNABELLE K
I brought this into the office and it was a hit! Everyone raved about how moist and perfectly sweet it was. I even shared the recipe and told them how easy it was to make.
Lisa Davis
I made this but instead of a Bundt cake I made huge muffins instead.. took them to work with me & they were amazing.. everyone loved them. Definitely will make again.
Temple
How long did you bake the muffins?
Tara
I have been making this cake for years, however, we take about a third of the batter, add 1/2 cup of chocolate syrup, and pour in around the middle of the bundt pan. Very popular cake when I take it anywhere.
Mary Neumann
Oh, that sounds like a variation I have to try! I’ll be sure to pass this tip on to my friend, Sandi! Thanks so much for sharing, Tara!
Terry
Can someone provide the number of ounces the boxed cake mix is.
I’m in Canada and our box is only 13.23 imperial ounces.
Stefanie
I love this cake. It is a hit wherever I bring it. Everyone loves it. Thank you🧡
peggy richards
This cake is good with cream de mint in it. With a cream de mint frosting. Cake is very yummy
Joycelyn
My experience with this recipe.
I made this exact recipe in the 60s for a company pot luck picnic. There was cakes and other treats galore along with tons of other foods, salads, sandwiches, cold meats, burgers, hot dogs etc.
When the picnic was over and it was time to collect you plates and pans that you brought your pot luck item in, he only dessert that was left was the pistachio bundt cake I made and was so proud of. What a let down experience that was and I might add, was also the very last time I ever made pistachio bundt cake again!
A hint that you probably already know by now.
Cake mixes of today have less in them than cake mixes of yesterday which has been the reason a lot of young bakers including my granddaughters wonder why their cake batter didn’t fill the pan very high ( 9×13 especially } like the cake batter did when their moms and grandma’s did when they used cake mixes.. They do say ( on cake central and other cake sites to buy two mixes then remove 7 tablespoons out of the second box to add to the cake mix you’re going to use and that will give you the proper amount of dry cake mix needed to fill your cake pans properly.
Cheers!
Stay well
Dorinda Finn
Are all the ingredients compatible with the newer size cake mixes? In the 70s, cake mixes were 18.25 oz. Now they’re either 16.5 or 15.25 oz. And trust me, after three attempts one day, I figured out what was wrong with my cakes.
Joycelyn
But two cake mixes, remove 7 tablespoons of cake mix from the second box, add those 7 tablespoons of cake mix to the first box and you’ll have the proper amount of dry cake mix you bought in the 70’s.
Joanne
Do I need to do this for this recipe?
Ellen Lofland
Love this cake. It is also my emergency dessert since it uses pantry items. The first several times I made it, the cake burned. Then I noticed that the cake mix called for 325, not 350 like the recipe. If you have this problem check your cake mix directions. That may be it. No more problems since that little change
Larry
I use a similar recipe, but add a couple tablespoons of almond flavoring and a few drops of green food coloring and bake in a 13 x 9 pan. After cooling I make a light cream frosting, adding additional almond flavoring and additional drops of green food coloring… VERY good and moist
Sue
Can I bake this in a 9 x 13 pan instead?
Sue
Can this be baked in a sheet pan or some other one layer pan?
Cheryl
Thank you! I’ve been searching for this exact recipe because I remembered it needed 5 eggs!!! I used to frost it with 1 pkg pistacchio inst pudding, beat with 1/2 pint heavy cream, then fold in 1 small container cool whip.
anna hershey
can this convert to a 9×13 cake pan?
Susan Murphree
I just bought everything for this and can’t wait to make it. I do have a Bundt Cake Pan but also wonder about making this as a sheet cake sometime???
Richard
Comes out better with ,pecans, walnuts… my family loves it
Audrey
We use to put a nut mixture in the middle of this cake. Best thing ever
Diane
I have been looking for this recipe for years! My mother used to make this for all my parties in high school. Thank you!
Paula
I always asked for pistachio cake for my birthday every year since I was a little kid. I am now 47 and my mom still makes it for me
GINNY DIRENZO
looks yummy
Kathy Schachtman
I use to make this all the time. I saved about a cup of batter, added cocoa, and swirled that through the batter in the pan. I used chocolate icing.
Erica
Ooh, that’s a great idea! Sounds delicious, and I bet it looked really neat, too! I’m gonna try it your way!
Julie @ Back To My Southern Roots
Mmm…looks so delish!
Patty
Thanks for finding this recipe I had it in the 70’s and then somehow lost it. It was my husbands favorite. Wonder if I can still find dream whip. So awesome. Thanks
Carlee
I can’t wait to make this for my brother. He is a pistachio fanatic and I always love an excuse to bake a cake!