Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips
This post may include affiliate links, meaning I will earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Affiliate Disclaimer.
Pistachio Bundt Cake is a simple cake recipe that you will want to make over and over again! A cake mix and a package of instant pudding make a tender, moist cake with lots of pistachio flavor. I take it one step further and throw in some mini chocolate chips. Then, top it with a light and creamy pistachio whipped cream frosting to make it perfect for a special occasion!
I love to use pistachios in my baking and cooking. Whether it is in sweet recipes like my Lemon Pistachio Biscotti or savory recipes like my Pistachio Pesto, I love the flavor of pistachios!
This pistachio pudding cake is one of my mom’s old recipes. She is known for her homemade dishes, but this simple bundt cake was her go-to when she needed a quick, crowd-pleasing dessert. It’s always been a favorite with my boys—and my husband too!
Most of my recipes are made from scratch, like my Lemon Olive Oil cake and Italian Almond Cake, but I am not above taking a shortcut when the results are this good. Especially when you can create a perfect cake with a few simple ingredients and this easy recipe!
Cake mix provides all of the dry ingredients, and the cornstarch and sugar in the instant pudding help the cake retain moisture and create a creamy, tender crumb. The pudding also adds a rich but delicate pistachio flavor. I promise that no one will know that you doctored up a cake mix to make this delicious cake!
Pistachio Bundt Cake Ingredients and Notes
White or Yellow Cake Mix: I do not recommend using another flavor as it may overpower the pistachio in this cake.
Almond Extract: This is optional, but I highly recommend using it. It amps up the nutty flavor of the cake. You can also substitute vanilla extract.
Milk and Heavy Cream: Both ingredients need to be very cold to whip into nice stiff peaks.
Variations
- The cake’s green hue makes it perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert. Add a little bit of green food coloring to the cake or the frosting for an even deeper green color.
- Sometimes, I will add chopped pistachios to the cake batter for a little extra crunch and pistachio flavor. Just make sure to use unsalted pistachios.
- If you want a very simple topping, dust the cake with powdered sugar.
- A simple glaze is also a good frosting option.
- I have used two other toppings on this pistachio cake: the cream cheese frosting from my Simple Carrot Cake Recipe and the whipped mascarpone cream frosting from my Limoncello Cake recipe.
- Sprinkle chopped or ground pistachios over the frosted pistachio bundt cake.
How to Make This Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake
Photo 1: Add cake mix, instant pudding, eggs, water, vegetable oil, and almond extract to a large bowl.
Photo 2: Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Photo 4: Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Photo 5: Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan.
Photo 5: Bake for 50-55 mins. The cake is done when a toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Photo 6: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make the Creamy Whipped Pistachio Frosting
Photo 7: Pour the heavy cream, milk, and pistachio pudding mix into a mixing bowl.
Photo 8: Beat until stiff peaks form.
Baking Tips
- The eggs should be at room temperature so they blend into the batter easily.
- Make sure to grease and flour all of the creases in your Bundt pan. This will ensure that your cake comes out clean and you don’t end up with pieces of the cake stuck to the pan.
- You can also use cooking spray, which is specially made for baking. This version of cooking spray already has flour in it, so it saves you a step. I don’t think that it changes the flavor of the cake at all, so if you want to eliminate a step, go for it!
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it, or the whipped cream frosting will melt on the warm cake.
Storage and Freezing Recommendations
This delicious pistachio bundt cake can be covered and stored at room temperature if is not frosted with the whipped pistachio frosting. Because the frosting is made with cream, it should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator once the cake is topped.
An unfrosted pistachio bundt cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or sliced, placed in freezer bags, and frozen for up to two to three months.
Pistachio Bundt Cake FAQs
Adding pudding mix to a boxed cake mix, like in this Pistachio Bundt Cake recipe, will make the cake denser and softer. Make sure to follow the recipe instructions on how many eggs and how much fat you need to achieve the optimal texture and moistness.
The main difference between any other cake and a Bundt cake is the shape of the cake. The word Bundt refers to a type of pan the cake is baked in. A Bundt cake pan creates a ring-shaped cake because of the tube in the middle. According to Wikipedia, the pan was designed and trademarked by David Dalquist in the late 1940s. The Bundt cake skyrocketed into popularity when Ella Helfrich entered a Pillsbury cake-baking contest in 1966 and won 2nd place with her Tunnel of Fudge Cake recipe.
Bundt cakes are also known for their dense texture as opposed to the fluffy texture of other cakes. But many types of cakes are baked in Bundt pans, including pound cake like my Old Polish Pound Cake recipe and coffee cake.
I love to get your feedback, so if you try this Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake or any other recipe on this website, please leave me a comment below. I hope you enjoy our recipes, and I look forward to hearing from you!
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more recipes your family will love!
Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Enza’s Quail Hollow Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz. Package of instant pistachio pudding
- 4 Eggs
- 1 1/4 cups Water
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 tsp. Almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups Chocolate Chips or mini chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp. Powdered Sugar
Pistachio Frosting
- 1 3.4 oz. Package of pistachio pudding
- 2 cups Whipped topping or 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan and set aside.
- Add cake mix, instant pudding, eggs, water, vegetable oiland almond extract to mixing bowl. Beaton medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 mins. The cake is done with a toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the sides and invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar or frost with the pistachio whipped cream frosting.
Pistachio Whipped Cream Frosting
- Combine the pudding mix and milk in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it is thick. Fold in the whipped topping.
- If you are using heavy cream, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Notes
Baking Tips
- Eggs will blend easily into the cake batter if they are at room temperature.
- Make sure to grease and flour all the creases in your Bundt pan. This will ensure that your cake comes out clean and you don’t end up with pieces of the cake stuck to the pan.
- You can also use cooking spray, specially made for baking. This version of cooking spray already has flour in it, so it saves you a step. I don’t think that it changes the flavor of the cake at all, so if you want to eliminate a step, go for it!
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it, or the whipped cream frosting will melt on the warm cake.
The boys loved it! The only thing I changed was that I used cool whip for frosting. Definitely going to make it again 😊
So glad you liked it!!
Delicious
Too much water – I backed it up to 1/2 cup and it was better