This Pistachio Cake recipe is a super easy dessert! Made with 7up soda and pudding, so it turns out so moist and tender, and baked in a bundt pan for a beautiful presentation.
It’s not easy being green – unless you’re this Pistachio Cake, and then it really is! This cake is wonderful anytime of year, but especially fun if you’re celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day!
Pistachio Cake Ingredients
This cake starts with a box cake mix and then gets doctored up with other goodies. You can’t even tell this cake uses a box mix. But if you have a favorite from-scratch white cake mix recipe, by all means, use it!
- Box white cake mix
- Pistachio instant pudding (just the powder)
- Large eggs
- 7up soda
- Vegetable oil
- Almond extract
- Finely chopped pistachios
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Pistachio Cake Recipe Variations
- Replace the 7up: The carbonation make this cake so light and fluffy! But it can be replaced with club soda, milk, or water.
- Use a different pudding: This is a pistachio cake, but you can replace the instant pudding with a different flavor.
- Try a different nut: Swap out the chopped pistachios with walnuts or almonds.
- Add in some coconut flakes: A cup of sweetened coconut flakes can be added to the batter for another delicious layer of flavor (do it!)
- Drizzle with chocolate: Instead of dusting the cooled caked with powdered sugar, coat it with frosting, or drizzle with icing or chocolate ganache. Yum!
- What if I don’t own a bundt pan? A fluted bundt pan makes this cake so pretty. But if you don’t have one, no worries. This cake can also be made in a 9×13 baking dish with the cooking time between 25-30 minutes.
How to Make Pistachio Cake
This cake is so easy to make with just a few simple steps.
*Scroll down for the complete printable recipe card
- Whisk together the cake mix, instant pudding powder, eggs, 7up soda, vegetable oil, and almond extract; beat with an electric mixer until combined, then fold in the pistachios.
- Pour into a 10 to 12-inch fluted bundt pan that’s been buttered and floured.
- Baked until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool, then turn out onto a rack or plate. Dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve.
How To Store Pistachio Cake
This cake will last about 1-2 days at normal room temperature. Anything longer, it will need to be refrigerated (for up to 5 days.) Either way, be sure to cover it with foil or plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. You an also freeze it for up to 2 months.
Pistachio Cake Video
Other Light and Fluffy Cake Recipes
Other Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Easy Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box white cake mix
- 3.4 ounce box pistachio instant pudding (just the powder)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup 7up soda
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract , optional
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar , for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10 or 12-inch fluted bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, instant pudding powder, eggs, 7up soda, vegetable oil, and almond extract (if using); beat with an electric mixer or whisk vigorously for 2 minutes, until combined. Fold in the pistachios.
- Pour evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes, then run a dull knife along the edges to loosen. Then allow to cool completely.
- Turn cake out onto a wire rack or plate; dust with powdered sugar.
- Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other Notes
Please explain why 7-up can milk or water be used instead of 7-up
Hi Erica – I explain this in the article, thanks!
I would use a spray oil to grease the pan instead of butter, it would get into the grooves better. My cake had a piece that stuck in the pan. The cake is easy & delicious.
Made this for my son’s birthday as he loves pistachios. It was a big hit with everyone including myself. Would definitely make it again many times. Delicious
A big hit!
My family loves this cake. Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
This cake was delicious! Light in texture, will definitely make again
This was SO delicious!! I actually used sugar free ginger ale instead of 7Up just because that’s what I had, and it was still to die for. When measuring the almond extract I accidentally over poured… probably used more like 3/4-1 teaspoon-ish but I think I’ll do that every time. It tasted so good! We put some whipped cream on top and devoured it. We loved this cake so much! Thank you for such an easy, tasty recipe!
Easy, moist, and delicious! Pistachio pudding is hard to find at my stores sometimes, so when I spotted it I grabbed a bunch so I could make this cake again and again.
Could I make cupcakes instead? Wondering how it would turn out
Can I use a sugar free cake mix and sugar free instant pudding?
Excited to try out this recipe. Will a 12 cup bundt pan work for this cake?
Can you use regular pudding instead of instant
Since it’s only the powder being used, it should be fine, but note that we have not actually tested it with the cook-and-serve pudding mix.
absolutely love it so easy to make ty ty ty
I will use this recipe from now on! Adding the pinch of almond extract pumped up the flavor. I frosted it rather than powdered sugar just to give it some soft texture. It’s a fabulous recipe, thank you!!
Love this recipe and have made it many times. Quick ? If I were to miniaturize it – and make mini Bundt cakes, would it be the same time or half the time to bake?
Hi Mary! This recipe has only been tested as written, so I couldn’t say for sure. I would just test them at the halfway mark and keep testing every 5 minutes, if needed, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Had a recipe from Mr. Food yrs ago but always thought it was a bit dry. Going to try your recipe…BUT…add his out of this world frosting: Beat 1 cup heavy cream with 1 cup of milk and a box of pistachio pudding mix till thickened. Sprinkle w/coconut if desired. Lovely for Easter!
What size box of pistachio pudding mix should I use? I can’t wait to make this!
First time making this recipe and it was absolutely delightful. So light and fluffy. Definitely making this again. Haven’t decided if I should use icing or powdered sugar on top.
Made this and loved it! Light, not too sweet and just darn delicious!
can I substitute applesauce for the oil in the recipe??
Hi Donna – this recipe hasn’t been tested with that substitution, so we can’t vouch for the results.
Can you use yellow cake mix?
The cake, in terms of texture and method, will still come out using yellow cake mix, but it will taste a little different and the bright green color will be more muddy. I would recommend waiting to get your hands on some white cake mix for optimal results.
Would diet 7 Up work in this recipe.
Yes, absolutely!
This looks amazing! I want to make it for New Years! Would salted pistachios work, or should I use unsalted?
Hi Sumer – either are fine. Roasted and lightly salted is what I use.
So yummy and easy.
Been making Pistachio cake for 40 years and my mother in law years before that. Always a family and friend favorite.
During quarantine I discovered a love for baking! I am planing it to turn this new found hobby into a small home business. I started with box cake recipe for trial and error but really wanted to do everything from scratch. So I chose this recpie for my first from scratch cake. This turned out delicious! Literally did everything as the recpie said even the white mix cake recipe which was a total game changer and I am damn proud I was able to pull it off. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. This beautiful cake is definitely going on my menu. GOD BLESS !
Is this cake too soft and fluffy to make a layered cake? With ganache on top.
Hi Serena – Hm. That’s a great question. This cake is definitely light and fluffy, so yes and no. If you use a very fluffy frosting in between the cake layers that spreads easily, you should be fine. But if the frosting is dense, then no, it will rip the cake apart. I love your idea, though – would be delicious!
Did a trial run of this cake for Easter. Loved it and will definitely be making it again.
This is the most amazing pistachio cake I have ever had in my life!!! Addicting!!!!
Excellent. I used Sprite soda because that’s what I had.
Grew up having this cake, my Grandma on my mother’s side made it in the summer. She also made icing using Dream Whip with pistachio pudding mix added. Trust me, It’s so delicious and creamy. It adds a light cream on top of this lightly sweet cake.
I haven’t had it with coconut, definitely trying that!
Made this cake to share Easter dessert with my neighbors. The cake was moist and tasty. The smiles on my neighbor’s faces was all I needed to know I had brightened their day!
So easy to make and quick delicious cake
This super duper easy dessert is absolutely fab! I believe it’s sooo moist and tender! I’m saving this for later. I’ll probably make the cake for my grandma who’s coming to visit us so soon. Thank u so much for sharing!
Could you use ginger ale in place of 7 up?
The carbonation in the ginger ale will still make it light and fluffy, but I personally wouldn’t recommended the taste it will lend in combination with the other flavors. But you can certainly try it!
Can this cake be made into cupcakes or mini cupcakes
I can’t see why not, although I haven’t personally tried it. I think the general rule for most cake to cupcakes conversion is 24 cupcakes for a 9×13 cake and bake for 40-50% of the time. So if you want to try cupcakes with this recipe, I would say fill liners with the batter 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes (but use a tester at 15 minutes.) Let me know if you try it!
This cake looks delicious, but pistachio pudding is not available here, what can I use in place of it?
I’ve seen the Pistachio pudding (Jello brand and Royal brand) at Big Lots, 99 Cent store, Walmart, Ralph’s, Albertson’s, and Stater Bros. You can always find it on Walmart.com.
Good luck!
You can order it from Amazon!