Pistachio Pudding Cake

A moist, green cake made from a box mix with Jello pudding and a fluffy green frosting creates a delicious Pistachio Pudding Cake. 

This cake recipe is always a winner and has been described at family potlucks as refreshing and enjoyable! Most people who have eaten our cake have never eaten pistachios and LOVE this pudding cake with an easy Cool Whip frosting.

Pistachio Pudding Cake Recipe

Our Easy Pistachio Pudding Cake with Cool Whip Frosting is a traditional cake from a box mix with two pudding mixes added for extra flavor.

A light green cake with a green whipped topping icing has a cool, nutty and refreshing flavor. This moist cake is quick to make because a box mix is the first ingredient and only calls for a total of 6 ingredients.

We had our first big family reunion in my husband’s family and I brought this Jello Pistachio Pudding Cake.  After milling around the dessert table for a while, pieces of the cake coated with Cool Whip Frosting started disappearing.  After trying it everyone loved it!

One aunt shared that she is part of a card club and they like to make unique recipes like Yogurt Pie and Wine Cake to enjoy while playing cards.  She said she will be making this recipe for pistachio pudding cake for her next card club.

I observed the dessert table and the chocolate desserts went first.  The basics like Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Delight.  It took a second trip to the dessert table for people to get more adventurous and try this recipe, but when they did they LOVED it!

Ingredients Needed

• Yellow cake mix
• Instant pistachio pudding mix
• Eggs
• Cool Whip
• Vegetable oil
• Milk

More Green Desserts

The popularity of this easy Pistachio Pudding Cake spikes around St. Patricks day since it’s green. But it is surprisingly popular all year around too.

Visually the light green color of the cake is unique. Taste wise it’s the frosting that really sets this cake apart.

Green Watergate Salad or Lime Jello Salad is typically on the table at my family gatherings and it just occurred to me that there was not a single Jello salad or fluff dessert at this party.  Funny how family traditions vary. 

What is Pistachio Pudding Made Of?

The ingredients on the back of the box for store brand instant Pistachio pudding and pie filling are: sugar (which makes this cake extra delicious), dextrose, modified tapioca and corn starch, and almonds.  Then there is a list of ingredients that comprise less than 2% of the pistachio pudding mixture and pistachios are in that list.

Since there are is a higher percentage of almonds than pistachios in the pudding the almonds are providing the majority of the nutty flavor.  There are enough pistachios to provide a nice pistachio nut flavor too!

How to Make Pistachio Pudding Cake

1. Grease 13 x 9 inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350°F
2. Mix all cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl on high speed for about two minutes
3. Bake 40 minutes or until cake is set
4. Let cake cool completely
5. To make frosting mix pudding and milk until thick. Fold in whipped topping

Step By Step Instructions

Pour a yellow cake mix and two small boxes of instant pistachio pudding mix into a mixing bowl.

Add 5 eggs. These will help make the cake so much more moist.

Next add vegetable oil and milk.

Mix all of the ingredients together until the batter is smooth and green.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13” glass dish and bake in a 350°F preheated oven.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely before spreading the frosting on top.

Pistachio Frosting With Pudding

Pour another box of instant pistachio pudding mix into a small mixing bowl.

Add the milk and whisk together.

Then add the defrosted Cool Whip or whipped topping and use a spatula to gently fold it in.

Continue stirring and folding until the frosting is a consistent, uniform color without any streaks.

Then spread over the cake and store in the refrigerator.

The cake will be best if used within 2 – 3 days.

Tips For Making A Pistachio Cake

• Remove cake from the oven and cover with a piece of plastic wrap to help hold in moisture while the cake cools
• Let the cake cool before applying frosting or the whipped topping with melt
• Store this cake in the refrigerator to preserve the whipped topping
• The cake tastes great without any fresh pistachios, I just sprinkled some on top for looks
• Almonds would make a great accent for the cake it desired

A Variation With Chocolate Chips

A reader shares that she loves adding 12 ounces of chocolate chips. Furthermore she recommends replacing the milk with sour cream, using a full cup of oil and using 3 eggs instead of 5 with the white cake mix and pistachio pudding mix.

More Easy Dessert Recipes:

Butterscotch Delight has layers of butterscotch pudding, cream cheese and Cool Whip on a flour crust make a light and heavenly dessert.

Orange Delight is a light and sweet treat made of mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, orange gelatin, cottage cheese and Cool Whip.

Black Forest Cherry Bundt Cake mixes a can of cherry pie filling into a box of chocolate cake to make a wonderful treat.

Originally shared on June 22, 2019 with pictures updated on June 21, 2023.