Watergate Cake
This Watergate Cake recipe is a family favorite and thankfully, it’s so easy to make with a cake mix. Each cake slice is moist, the perfect sweetness, and topped with a light and fluffy whipped frosting.
Mama and I baked this Watergate Cake recipe at my house the other day so we could photograph it here. She is writing today’s post. Take it away, Mama! ~Christy
Watergate Cake is one of our favorite cakes. The cake is moist and the icing is so light and fluffy. Not at all overly sweet like some cakes, but just the right balance of sweet and fluff! The entire cake was gone the first day. The grandkids kept coming back for more until there was none left. It warmed my heart to make a dessert that everyone loved. Since this cake is green thanks to the pistachio pudding mix, it is the perfect cake to make for St. Patrick’s Day too.
Favorite Cake for St Patrick’s Day
I am so excited that St. Patrick’s Day is almost here. That means that spring isn’t far behind. I have always made a big deal out of every holiday. Kids, even the older ones, love it. My kids still remember the things we made and did for St. Patrick’s Day. I always tried to make as much green food as I could. It is almost imperative that the food is very light or white in order for it to turn green with a few drops of food coloring. The mistakes are usually more memorable than the successes though. That’s what the holidays are for, good times with our family and making memories.
Fun Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day
Try to think outside the box for green ideas. If you need help, just look on the internet for thousands of ideas. Christy always puts a few drops of green food coloring in every toilet in her house! The kids get up each morning and run to see if the leprechauns visited because, well, they had to use the bathroom before they left, you know! You still have a few days to plan for St. Patrick’s Day so let’s dig into our wonderfully green Watergate Cake.
Recipe Ingredients
- White cake mix
- pudding mix
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Ginger ale
How To Make Watergate Cake
Combine the cake mix, 1 box of pistachio pudding, oil, eggs, and ginger ale in a large bowl. Mix well with an electric mixer.
Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick.
The frosting ingredients are milk, pistachio pudding mix, and whipped topping.
Add the cold milk to the instant pudding mix and mix with an electric mixer until well combined and it begins to thicken. Fold in the whipped topping and then it’s time to frost your Watergate Cake. Garnish with chopped pecans if you like.
This is the beautiful end result. Store it in your refrigerator and enjoy!
Storage
Store pistachio cake leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days. You can also freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature before adding the frosting as instructed.
Recipe Notes
- You may have noticed that cake mix now has a smaller amount in each box. Christy and I have tried a number of recipes and found no difference in the end result. Our advice is to not worry about it when using a recipe that calls for a box of cake mix. Just proceed with the recipe the same as always. There is no need to make any adjustments.
- In a pinch, a yellow cake mix will work. But white cake mix will ensure the green pistachio color is more vibrant.
- We used ginger ale because that is what we had on hand. You could also use Sprite, 7UP, , or any other clear soft drink in this recipe.
- For added flavor, add 1/2-cup each of chopped pecans and sweetened shredded coconut flakes to the cake batter. You can toast both or none on a sheet pan, the choice is yours.
- For the whipped topping, you can use Cool Whip, Dream Whip, or even homemade whipped cream.
- To add a pop of color, garnish your cake with maraschino cherries. This makes it the perfect festive cake for Christmas too!
- You can opt to sprinkle chopped pecans on top or enhance the pistachio flavor with even more pistachio nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 2 boxes instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup ginger ale or 7 Up
- 1 1/4 cups cold milk
- 8 oz. whipped topping
- nuts optional
Instructions
- Combine the cake mix, 1 box of pistachio pudding, oil, eggs, and ginger ale in a medium bowl.1 box white cake mix, 2 boxes instant pistachio pudding mix, 1 cup vegetable oil, 3 eggs, 1 cup ginger ale or 7 Up
- Mix well and pour into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Add the cold milk to the remaining box of pistachio pudding mix in a medium bowl.1 1/4 cups cold milk, 2 boxes instant pistachio pudding mix
- Stir until well combined and the pudding begins to thicken. Then fold in the whipped topping.8 oz. whipped topping
- Frost the cooled cake and garnish it with chopped pecan pieces (optional).nuts
- Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
You may enjoy these other cake mix recipes:
Cookies and Cream Cake Mix Cookies
“Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”
~Oliver Wendell Holmes
This looks easy enough for even ME to make! Why is it called “Watergate” Cake?
Probably named after Watergate Salad. If memory serves me correctly, I think a chef at the Watergate Hotel came up with the salad idea. It happened to be served at that hotel during the infamous Watergate scandal.
No, it’s named Watergate Cake with Cover-up Icing because Richard Nixon liked pistachios, and there was the whole Watergate scandal thing. Google “Watergate Cake history” for the whole story!
We’ve always loved Watergate Salad so can’t wait to try Watergate Cake! (Not meaning to split hairs here but I believe the beautiful flower of Texas your Mom referred to as Blue Bells are actually called Bluebonnets). Anyway, they both are beautiful!:)
Yes you are correct the proper name for the flower is Bluebonnet and they are extremely beautiful when they bloom! They crop up in patches that is awesome!
And Christie, Thank you for the recipe it sounds great! Can’t wait to try it!
Happy St Patrick’s Day everyone!
I was thinking the same thing–I haven’t ever seen a blue bell–but love my Bluebonnets here in Texas–course it’s our state flower. 😀
Hey. We were close. I don’t think Mama has ever laid eyes on one 🙂
Christy,
Bring your mama and come see all the beautiful bluebonnets here in Texas! As a native Texan, I knew your mama had to mean bluebonnets. They are in full bloom right now and people love to take pictures of their children out in the middle of a big field full of them.
You could pack up a nice picnic lunch, this yummy cake, and some sweet iced tea and come on over to TX!
Have a happy and blessed Easter!
That sounds divine Wanda!!! Hopefully we can make that trip one year soon!!
Our daffodils are here too! This cake looks good. I like the green color and I like trying cakes with pop in them!
YUM! I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks, this sounds gooood
Do you think I could use a different flavor of pudding in the icing? My husband doesn’t like pistachio.
Absolutely! It’s much easier to switch out the pudding rather than switching out the husband 😉
This made me giggle! All those poor husbands who get traded out because they like the wrong ingredients! 🙂
Made this tonight for my two babies and they loved it
I am so glad to hear they liked it Melissa!!! Thank you for trying it!!
Pistachio flavor makes this cake! Make your. Husband some brownies!!
Yum! We love Watergate salad. Can’t wait to try Watergate cake. 😀