Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake the perfect springtime desert.

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

I must confess, I am a new pistachio lover. I guess I had never really tried them…..they seemed like a lot of work and they were green……I wasn’t too sure about a green nut!

Well, surprise, surprise ……they are awesome!! Fresh out of the shell, they complement sweet or savory dishes,I even tried salt and pepper flavored ones, in the words of Rachael Ray…….yummo!!!

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

The light green color of this bundt from Pinterest caught my eye. I remember with fondness when ‘Watergate” salad, then cake were popular. I was a Senior in High School when the Watergate Scandal broke.

The Jello Company had just introduced Pistachio pudding, and created a recipe using their new product, called Pistachio Pineapple Salad. Everyone was taking this new salad to parties and rumor has it that the name Watergate Salad, stuck was because it was full of marshmallows, bananas, and nuts and covered with fluff…..just like the Nixon administration.

The cake was made even more popular by being named Watergate Cake with Cover up Icing. The scandal, as all scandals do became the stuff of memories, but he cake has endured.

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

This cake is not a Watergate cake, it more of a crumb bundt cake. A scratch cake with pistachio pudding. I never was very good a homemade cakes in the past but have developed a late life talent…….you can teach an old dog new tricks!

The cake is simple to put together and bake, due in part to the bakers best friend……the bundt pan. I currently have two bundt pans and will continue to buy different shapes. I love the contours that they create.

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

OK, so the secret to getting that perfect eye-catching visual of a bundt cake are:

  1. Make sure to spray or brush the pan with non stick spray, or butter.    Make sure you get in every nook and cranny. If you hold the pan to the light you can see that sheen that the coating gives you will be in business. If you see any dry spot make sure to get them covered.
  2. Sprinkle the coated pan with flour, or cocoa if you are making a chocolate bundt. Again making sure to get the flour in all the nooks and crannies. Just keep tilting and tapping the pan. Don’t try to use your fingers or you will pull off the coating.
  3. Be sure to tap out any excess flour.
  4. Fill the pan and bake.
    Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before attempting to un-mold.
  5. To un-mold, run a butter knife around the edge of the pan and the tube in the middle. Don’t push the knife down the sides or you will ruin the pans effect.
  6. Place a large plate on top of the bundt pan, and invert the pan in one fluid motion, holding the plate tight to the pan. You might need to jiggle or tap the pan to remove the cake. You will feel when it gives.

Then ta-da you have the perfect bundt cake!

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

Frosting of bundt cake…… needs to be a glaze. First its easy, and second you need no cake decorating skills needed!

For this cake, what else but a pistachio glaze and why not add a bit of that pistachio pudding to give it that green hint. Mix the pudding mix, and please use instant not the cooked pudding mix, with the water before adding to the powdered sugar. It makes for a smoother glaze. The recipe for the glaze can be tweaked to the consistency you desire.

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

Give the glaze a couple of minute to set up before garnishing with the pistachios or they will run down the side of the cake with the glaze. Your garnish with be a border if you do not wait!

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake would make a great Easter cake with its light green color and the pretty visual of your bundt pan.

Or may throw a 70’s Watergate Party ……..for a blast form the past.

Either way enjoy this easy, pretty, Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake!

Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

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Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 10 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • Cake Ingredients
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 package of instant jello pistachio pudding
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1¼ cup buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Glaze Ingredients:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pistachio pudding
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Chopped pistachios for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard Bundt pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt then set aside.
  3. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the pistachio pudding mix and combine thoroughly.
  4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly incorporated.
  5. Mix in the chopped pistachios.
  6. Combine the buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract in a large measuring cup or bowl.
  7. Starting with the dry ingredients, alternating dry and wet, ending with wet. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes after the last addition.
  8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Let cake cool for 15 minutes and then invert the cake onto a baking rack to finish cooling.
  10. Pour Pistachio Glaze over cake when
  11. completely cooled and sprinkle the pistachios for garnish.

 

Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake

This is a real quick post for a fabulous winter cake………… Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake!

Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake 1

It was #cake monday…….only on a Tuesday cause of MLK Day. I was fresh out of ideas for my cake contribution, until I came across recipes on Pinterest for Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake. Continue reading “Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake”

French Apple Cake

Oooolala its French Apple Cake!

French Apple Cake 1

French Apple Cake was adapted, just slightly, from one I found when I first stated using the internet for recipes. I frequented a site called www.epicurious.com  …….it was and still is one of my go to sites. Tons and tons of marvelous recipes.

Apple season is still going strong and although I am not a big fruit eater……I really do like pommes…….French for apples. My new fav is Honey Crisp…..crisp, and predominantly sweet, modern variety from the USA. It was developed by the University of Minnesota specifically for growers in cold climates, and is one of the most cold-hardy of apple varieties. Nice little apple lesson:)

French Apple Cake 2

While these are best suited for eating I though I would give them a whirl in baking…..success.

One of the things I like best about this cake is how beautiful it is when its done.But for all its beauty it can also be rustic.

It needs only a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and its the perfect fall dessert.

French Apple Cake

It’s sort of an apple upside down cake. The apples are cooked in a butter sugar glaze and placed decoratively in the bottom of a butter and sugar coated pan. I used turbinado sugar…….I like that extra crunch it adds to desserts.

A basic cake batter is poured over the top… into the oven for about 45 minutes. Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes and turn onto a cake plate. Even if the apples stick……one of mine did……you can attach it back and no one is the wiser.

French Apple Cake 4

You can make this cake ahead of time, as it is good either warm or at room temperature. French Apple Cake is small enough, so you aren’t eating it forever ……..although you may want too! But it’s enough for a nice dessert for 6-8.

So, enjoy apple season and make yourself, friends and family a French Apple Cake!

French Apple Cake Collage

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French Apple Cake 1

French Apple Cake

  • Author: Adapted from Epicurious
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 70 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 large apples (your choice), cored, and cut into eights
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Coat pan with turbinado sugar; tap out excess. Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, water and cinnamon and bring to boil. Add apples and cook until apples are just tender, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Remove apples, using slotted spoon, and arrange decoratively in bottom of pan. Continue boiling liquid in skillet until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour over apples.
  2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Whisk remaining 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, eggs, apple juice concentrate and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gently stir in dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup melted butter. Pour batter over apples in pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run small sharp knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Keywords: cake, dessert, apple, bake