Pistachio Bundt Cake
This Pistachio Bundt Cake quickly became one of my family’s favorite cakes after we tried it for the first time a few years ago. It’s so easy to make using a cake mix and a box of instant pistachio pudding (everyone cheats sometimes, don’t they?). It gets rave reviews and as I’m fond of saying, who doesn’t love a bundt cake?
After being on the road for over two weeks, I was more than ready to come home and sleep in my own bed. I actually missed being in the kitchen and couldn’t wait to get back in front of my stove and drink coffee from my favorite mug. My body was craving a workout and this might sound silly but I really love my bath tub and I couldn’t wait for a nice, long soak. But with the welcoming comforts of home comes the mountains of laundry and unpacking that always seems way more daunting than when I packed it to go out of town. How is it always that way? The reality that the kids are indeed out of school and home with me all day means that I will have less time to work. And this little blog of mine that I’d got so comfortable ignoring for the last week and a half was in need of some major attention and TLC.
Bittersweet, I tell you, bittersweet.
Anyone that blogs knows how much work goes into it and that it can be really difficult to to separate real life and blog life. Social media feels like an eight handed beast that grabs you at all times of the day. Perhaps a little dramatic but I really feel that way sometimes. Even when I’m not working, I’m always still kind of working- checking in on some form of social media or another. To actually ignore the blog and everything that comes with it for an entire week was pretty liberating. I felt like a person with a real job that went on a real vacation. I think I enjoyed it a little too much. I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard to come back. I read three books in one week and took naps just about every afternoon. It was awesome sauce with a capitol A.
So after a week off you’d think I’d be ready to come back to work full steam. But you know what? I still want to be on vacation (from the blog that is)- I’m psyched to be sleeping in my own bed. I really do love blogging. And it affords me to make my own schedule and stay at home with my kids which is a major plus. But I’m just in a weird place where I’m not that motivated to blog. I feel like a hormonal teenager that is lacking motivation and needs a friendly (or not so friendly nudge) to get my act together. I just want to lay on a chaise lounge and read. And go for hikes with my friends. And play in the sprinklers with my kids. And eat popsicles. And not get on Facebook for like a trillion years.
But alas, I can’t ignore this forever. I’m here today. Perhaps a little begrudgingly but I’m here. I’ll continue to bring you The Goods and rest assured I have an awesome recipe to share for Taco Tuesday tomorrow but as far as being psyched about work right now…..that just isn’t going to happen. My mind will elsewhere- dreaming of hammocks, a cool breeze and a good book.
PrintPistachio Bundt Cake
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
An easy recipe using a boxed cake mix and instant pudding. Pistachio cake with a cinnamon-sugar swirl is a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15 oz) yellow cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz package instant pistachio pudding
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachio nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine both sugars, cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped pistachios; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and almond extract. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour 1/3 of the batter into a prepared 9-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle with the sugar-nut mixture. Top with the other 2/3 of batter.
- Bake at 350F for 50 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before removing cake from pan. Let cool entirely and then frost with icing and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of chopped pistachios.
To make the icing, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon softened butter, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Beat until smooth and pour over cooled cake.
Notes
I make this all the time in my kitchen which sits at just under 7000 feet and it works beautifully every time with no modifications.
27 Comments
Love this bundt cake. Thank you. Have a Great Week!
Very funny. The I don’t want to work part. Good to take the time off.
And the cake mix. Your recipe can be varied with chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding mix and Kahlua. And here’s a not very secret–the Deer Valley poppyseed cake is yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, and high quality cream sherry!!
Well if DV does it than it must be ok!
Oh girl, preach. I try to take either Saturday or Sunday COMPLETELY off from blogging and looking at anything online just to get away. That eight handed beast is rough sometimes!
But this cake – YES THIS CAKE! Yum 🙂
I need to be better about designating a day… and this cake is a winner!
I love pistachio pudding! It’s not really cheating if it is what adds the most flavor. I have tried to find a more “natural” pistachio flavor addition but I fear my palate has been swayed for a lifetime by the delightful green addition.
As a fellow blog writer I so understand where you are. I took a week off from the blog and it was as though I forgot how to do it and any motivation for needing to do it was gone. Hang in there and eat some cake, you’ll remember why you started.
Thanks, Jordan! Already getting back into the swing of things!
I made your bundt cake today at my little cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia. The elevation is close to maybe 3,000 feet here and I was worried about the “low” elevation- Haha! But it turned out amazing! Thank you so much! for the recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it and that it turned out!
I made this cake yesterday in a tube pan because I do not have a bundt pan. It is awesome and the family deems it a “keeper.” Hubby took some to work today to share in self defense, as he said he would eat the whole thing otherwise! Thanks for a great recipe.
I love hearing that! I’m with your husband. No self control so I share all the goodies I make!
I have made your pistachio bunt cake 5 or 6 times and it us such a hit! Thank you for this recipe! I have friends requesting it over and over! Thank you so much!
Hey when you make her cake you don’t add milk to the pudding do you?
Nope.
I love this cake. I have been making it for years with one change. I make extra of the nut sugar mixture and sprinkle it on the top ( which becomes the bottom) and it is my favorite part of the cake. I just dust the top with powdered sugar.
I don’t always have pistachios on hand and have used toasted pecans or walnuts. Works fine.
Going to
Make one today for St Patrick’s Day.
Love that idea. I’m going to try it next time I make it!
I’m sorry when you make the pudding mixture do you add the milk to it or do you just add the packet to the whole cake mix
You don’t make the pudding. Just add the mix.
Thank you! I directly think so but it seemed so thick I got worried! It turned out amazing!
I love pistachio, coffee cakes, and the color green…so this is going to be recipe for my 80th birthday cake in February. Chocolate ice cream…or suggestions welcome. Thanks.
It’s delicious with vanilla ice cream or a big ‘ol dollop of whipped cream. Happy birthday!!
I just am now making this. In the oven as we speak. I’m in flatland Florida, do you think I should adjust the time? Can’t wait to taste this!
I am in Florida. Do you think the baking time should be adjusted? Thank you so much for this recipe. Can’t wait to taste it!
You should be good to go!
When I poured the icing over the cake it was not as white as yours…. What did I do wrong? The mixture itself was light brown.
I’m not sure, sorry!
It was the cinnamon. You can’t have white icing putting 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in it. My turned out the same, light brown. If you want it white leave out the cinnamon.