This Watergate Cake graced the table at many potlucks and family gatherings. Everyone is always eager to get their piece. Delicious and easy-to-make pistachio with a nutty flavor and creamy whipped frosting.
A family favorite recipe that has been in our recipe box for decades. It’s light and fluffy, and the chopped nuts add a wonderful crunch. An easy dessert that starts with a box of cake mix. It’s perfect for any occasion.
Watergate Cake – Pistachio Cake
It’s really a great cake. While it started out as a joke with the political scandal that was going on at the time, people really loved it and it’s a big hit in the South. A vintage cake recipe with a light flavor that became popular very quickly.
The Watergate cake is also known as the pistachio pudding cake. In 1975 Jello was invented and the chef at the Watergate Hotel thought he would have a lot of fun with the pudding. He made a new cake and he called it the Watergate Cake.
Festive Cake for the Holiday Season
The cake in the photos today, I made at Christmas time, so I added a few drops of green food coloring. The addition of red maraschino cherries and a little bit of sweetened coconut really make this an attractive cake to serve your guests.
Watergate Cake Recipe with Dream Whip
This Watergate Cake graced the table at many potlucks and family gatherings. Everyone is always eager to get their piece. Delicious and easy-to-make pistachio with a nutty flavor and creamy whipped frosting
- Bundt Pan
- Heritage bundt
- 15.25 Ounces White Cake Mix (1 box)
- 3.4 Ounces Pistachio Pudding Mix (1 box instant pudding)
- 3 Large Eggs (beaten)
- ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Cup Lemon-Lime Soda
- ½ Cup Nuts (finely chopped can be pecans or walnuts)
- ½ Cup Coconut flakes (optional)
- Cooking Spray
- Flour
Whipped Topping
- 2.6 Ounces Dream Whip (2 packages)
- 1 ½ Cups Cold Milk (can be whole milk, 2% milk, or non-dairy milk)
- 3.4 Ounces Pistachio Pudding Mix (1 Package Instant Pudding)
- ½ Cup Coconut Flakes (optional, can be sweetened or unsweetened)
- ½ Cup Pecans (finely crushed)
- 12 Maraschino Cherries (Optional)
- Add the white cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and lemon-lime soda to a large bowl. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, 4 minutes total, or until well combined. Scrape down the sides occasionally.
- Fold in the nuts and coconut at the end.
- Add the cake batter to a prepared bundt pan with the cooking spray and flour. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 38-40 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven but keep it in the cake pan for 15 minutes before inverting and removing the cake. After 15 minutes, invert the pans slowly to remove the cakes, setting back atop the wire rack. Let cool to room temperature.
Whipped Topping
- Start the dream whip icing. Beat the two packages of Dream Whip with the milk on medium-high speed 4 to 5 minutes until stiff peaks. Then beat in the pudding.
- Frost the cake with the fluffy and beautiful icing.
- Garnish the top of the cake with the shredded coconut. Another topping idea is to sprinkle on some more of the crushed nuts or a few maraschino cherries.
Let your cake sit in the bundt pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Some people for St. Patrick’s day will add green food coloring to this cake for a greener tint.
You can make one 9.5 to 10 inch Bundt Pan. Make it a layered cake using two 9-inch pans. Just split the batter between the two pans. It will also make a half sheet pan, which is a 12 by 18-inch pan. This cake batter will make 12 cup cakes. Adjust the baking times.
Pistachio Cake Recipe Tips and Variations
Let your cake sit in the bundt pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Some people for St. Patrick’s day will add green food coloring to this cake for a greener tint.
You can make one 9.5 to 10 inch Bundt Pan. Make it a layered cake using two 9-inch pans. Just split the batter between the two pans. It will also make a half sheet pan, which is a 12 by 18-inch pan. This cake batter will make 12 cup cakes. Adjust the baking times.
The pistachio icing in this cake tastes great on chocolate cake too.
Another option for garnishing the cake is to add maraschino cherries and dollops of whip cream on top every inch or so around the top of the cake. If you plan on cutting the 12 servings, then add the garnish 12 times so everyone gets a maraschino cherry.
If you don’t have lemon-lime soda, you can use 7-Up, Sprite, Mountain Dew, ginger ale, or club soda
I use a white cake mix for this recipe; however, a yellow cake mix will work just as well for this recipe.
Additionally, I use instant pistachio pudding mix; however, you can swap it out for instant cheesecake pudding mix and just use some food coloring.
Swap out the dream whip for cool whip
If using cool whip, there is no need to use an electric mixer. Just add the cool whip to a medium size bowl and add the package of pistachio pudding mix. Stir to combine.
Use Heavy Cream rather than the dream whip or cool whip for pistachio frosting
- 6.8 Ounces Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix, 2 (3.4-ounce) boxes
- 1 Cup Whole Milk, very cold
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, very cold
To make the Whipping Cream Topping.
In a separate bowl, combine the two packages of instant pudding mix, a cup of cold milk, and the cold heavy cream. For a green tint, you can add several drops of green food coloring. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until light and fluffy with soft peaks. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set before frosting and garnishing the cake.
If making this classic cake using two cake pans for a layered cake, this should make enough to spread between the layers and on top of the cake.
Storage Instructions
Unless you are eating this cake within an hour or two, it is best to refrigerate. Because of the milk in the whipped frosting, this cake requires refrigeration.
Cover with plastic film loosely tented. It will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
We hope you have enjoyed this classic recipe.
Reference
I first saw this recipe made by Angela Critters on YouTube. I just had to try it. Watergate Pistachio Cake with Dream Whip Icing 1970’s.
One reply on “Watergate Cake Recipe with Dream Whip”
My family loved this!