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Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake

4.83 from 142 votes
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  2. Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake Recipe
Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake with Pistachio Buttercream Frosting

I knew once I delved into the evil, evil realm of those pistachio pudding cookies that I made last week that I was a changed girl forever. I had finally caved into trying out pudding mixes in cookies. I’m a convert, I gotta admit it. Then again, we all know that there’s no food snobbery happening around this website, so we’re cool.

When I made those cookies, I had people chiming in from all over Instagram and Facebook about how much they loved pistachio pudding cake. Of course, I had to google this right away.

Wow. Mind blown.

I also knew that I wanted to create a homemade, non-cake mix, pistachio pudding cake. This would take it over the top, I was sure. To omit the cake mix and create a gorgeous from-scratch cake would blow my mind even more.

A slice of Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake in a white plate

Oh, you guys. It did.

This is, bar none, the best cake I have ever baked up. I have found Nirvana. Seventh heaven. Whatever you want to call it, this cake is the bomb. Moist, fluffy, perfect cake. This cake made me swoon. I teased you all with a photo of it last Sunday and there were more than a few of you swooning as well. I just can’t stop looking at it.

Pistachio perfection.

Close up of Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake with Pistachio Buttercream Frosting in transparent cake holder

The icing on the cake (see what I did there?) is literally my new Pistachio Pudding Buttercream Icing recipe. There are all sorts of pistachio pudding icings out there but not a single buttercream one and you all know my fixation with buttercream icing. I didn’t want a whipped cream-based icing, I wanted a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth buttery one.

Close up of Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake with Pistachio Buttercream Frosting in transparent cake holder and a slice in white plate

I am sure you now can all foresee more cakes in my future and there will be more coming, I have a few more ideas. I’m totally into the pudding cakes from scratch now and have a few ideas on how to make them completely from scratch, pudding included!

If you want to try cookies, my pistachio cookies using pistachio pudding are amazing and one of my favorite cookies!

Happy Baking everyone!

Love you more than pistachio pudding,

Karlynn

I’ve noticed that either people nail this cake, or it falls. If it falls, you didn’t bake it long enough. PLEASE TEST THE CAKE FOR DONENESS! TEST IN THE MIDDLE, TEST BY THE HOLE IN THE BUNDT PAN. Make sure that it’s absolutely cooked! This IS A BUNDT CAKE AND THEY TAKE FOREVER TO BAKE!!

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Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake

Homemade pistachio pudding cake, no cake mix involved, just a gorgeous, perfect crumb bundt cake with pistachio pudding mixed in.
4.83 from 142 votes
Close up of Homemade Pistachio Pudding Cake with Pistachio Buttercream Frosting in transparent cake holder and a slice in white plate
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
55 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
16
Calories
307
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar
  • one 99 grams package of jello instant pistachio pudding
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup chopped pistachios 1/4 cup reserved to the side for topping
  • 1 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard Bundt pan.(the 12 cup capacity)
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt then set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium speed with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.Add in the DRY pistachio pudding mix and combine thoroughly.
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly incorporated.
  • Mix in the chopped pistachios.
  • Combine the milk, oil and vanilla extract in a large measuring cup or bowl.
  • Starting with the dry ingredients, alternate pouring a third of the wet and dry ingredients into the bowl, incorporating thoroughly after each addition. You will end on the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes after the last addition.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 
  • I CAN’T ASSERT ENOUGH – IF YOUR CAKE FALLS, YOU DIDN’T BAKE IT ENOUGH!!! TEST IN THE CENTER AND TEST BY THE INNER HOLE IN THE BUNDT PAN.
  • Invert the cake onto a baking rack to cool.
  • Frost with Pistachio Pudding Buttercream Icing when the cake has completely cooled and sprinkle the remaining pistachios over the icing.

Recipe Notes

If you live at a higher altitude use a larger bundt pan so that it doesn’t overflow OR leave out a good 1/2 cup of batter 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 247mg, Potassium: 217mg, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 380IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 1.1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Trent Schermerhorn says

    I’ve been making this recipe for awhile now and it’s my favorite bunt loaf recipe. I don’t add frosting (doesn’t need extra sweetness). Just a simple dusting of confectioners sugar is perfect.
    I’ve tried cooking from minimum to maximum timeline (60-70 mins) and more is best. Keeping in mind that no oven is the same. But, with my oven @ 60 mins not done, @ 65 appears done, but falls while cooling, and @ 70 mins perfection!5 stars

  2. Tina says

    This is my 3rd time making this cake in 2 weeks. My family loved it. I used a pistachio cream cheese frosting so it wasn’t so sweet5 stars

  3. Yasmina says

    This cake came out delicious. It did just a tiny bit but once you flip it over you don’t even notice. I would change a couple of things in the future but the taste of this cake is amazing!

  4. Kari McCune says

    My husband and I made this bundt cake on New Years Eve 2023/2024. The cake is absolutely fabulous. We did check it at 60 minutes and it was done. While not dry whatsoever I wonder if it might have been done at 55-60 min. The frosting was perfect for it.

    Thank you for creating this and many more recipes.5 stars

  5. Marykate says

    The recipe really should tell you to wait at least five to 10 minutes before inverting onto the pan. The instructions make it seem like you need to do that immediately. Well, I did, and my cake fell apart. I’m extremely annoyed. I followed the directions precisely. I don’t live at high altitude. I’m an avid baker and very rarely have an issue with recipes. This screwup was completely because of the instructions. What a waste of time and money. Oh, and I need to bring this to a birthday celebration in an hour and a half, so I guess I’m going to the store to spend more money. I will never try another recipe from this website.1 star

  6. Christina says

    Followed instructions precisely. Baked 70 minutes. Golden brown, clean knife tested, Still Fell!1 star

  7. Alan Jones says

    Pistachio Pudding Cake

    I am allergic to nuts. What pudding may I use a substitute for pistachio pudding?

    Thanks, Alan

  8. g says

    Is it possible, that some people have problems with falling cakes because of where they live?
    Altitude can be easy for baking, but when you are on an Island, gravity can make it harder to bake cakes; perhaps cake flour instead of all purpose?

  9. sabrina says

    okay i have never in my entire life left a review on a recipe but i have absolutely no idea what this comments are saying!! this cake is INCREDIBLE. i get compliments every. time. i make it. it’s never failed for me but here is some advice. i would beat your butter and sugar tg till VERY light and fluffy. it takes a long time but it’s worth it. also i use 2% milk and a little half and half or heavy cream. the cake is absolutely delicious mine never caves and i’ve made it probably around five to six times.

  10. Christina says

    Can you make this using round cake pans instead of a Bundt cake?
    Thank you

  11. Justine Nelson says

    My cake was completely baked. Looking through the oven glass, it actually fell more the longer it baked. I am not a newcomer to baking. Something is wrong with this recipe. It’s a waste of expensive pistachios. I followed directions exactly. Definitely a fail.

    • Dawn says

      Agree. I’ve made it several times now because I love the flavor, but it falls before I take it out of the over. So it’s not undercooking it like the instructions warn about.

  12. Peachy says

    Made this a few times. Most times perfect. One time it stick in the pan and only the top half came out. Ironically it was perfectly baked. The last time it rose very in the pan while baking and the tester came out clean then caved in as it cooled. About to make 2 more. Hopefully they behave this time as they are Valentines Day orders

  13. Kristin says

    I would really like to make this as a layer cake for my kiddo’s birthday. Could you please provide any pertinent tips on bake times, ingredient modifications, etc? Thank you!

  14. Veronica mancinelli says

    Looks beautiful in the end, but I just can’t get over how greasy this cake is. So glad I didn’t frost it. I understand “moist” cake but this is just straight greasy. Not sure what the point of butter AND oil was. Probably skip the oil all together and a little less butter if I were to make it again. I just can’t tolerate the grease.2 stars

  15. laura says

    has anyone made this with almond or coconut flour?

  16. Wendy says

    Hi! I really need a pistachio pudding layer cake recipe. Is there anything you might do to your recipe to change it so it will bake in layers nicely? I am trying to avoid the box cakes if possible! Thanks!

  17. Nicole says

    I made this exactly as written and it turned out perfectly! I frosted it with your pistachio buttercream and everything is just divine. This is a keeper!5 stars

    • Patricia says

      As a very experienced baker this was a fail for me2 stars

    • Rick says

      Like many of the reviews, baked according to directions (4 teaspoons of baking powder…really!), but it overflowed in the oven after 25 minutes of cooking. Despite that, I persevered and baked on. Needless to say, it fell and refused to come out of the pan in one piece. What I was able to rescue tasted quite good, but never again!2 stars

    • Rita says

      Excellent recipe. I am making again. But without icing. I put some ice cream on .4 stars

  18. Tim says

    A very good cake. Easy to make, easy to eat. I didn’t apply any icing, as I’m not a big fan. I’ll be making this again.5 stars

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