Vintage Watergate Cake Recipe (2024)

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Vintage Watergate Cake is a delicious and easy-to-make pistachio cake with a creamy whipped frosting, perfect for any occasion!

I have enjoyed this classic Watergate Cake recipe, sometimes referred to as pistachio cake, since I could walk. It’s moist and flavorful, offers a hint of pistachio flavor, and perhaps most texturally pleasing to me, is that it’s served ice cold due to required refrigeration for the whipped cream frosting. It’s light and fluffy, and the chopped pistachios and walnuts add a wonderful crunch.

The recipe I share today is the original recipe for Watergate Cake, which was created in the 1970s. I made it for St. Patrick’s Day and took some pictures. It is made with a box of white cake mix, a box of instant pistachio pudding mix, lemon lime soda such as 7-Up, eggs, pistachios, and walnuts.

There have been countless variations to the original classic recipe, including those which incorporate Cool Whip or Dream Whip in the frosting, the swapping out of yellow cake mix in lieu of the white, and even a club soda hack when mixing the cake batter to avoid having to add sugary soda. Some methods specify flaked coconut, too.

And the name…what’s in a name? This vintage cake recipe gets its name from the political scandal involving President Richard Nixon, the Watergate Hotel, and what many dubbed “cover-up icing!”

Equipment Needed

I always knew my Aunt to bake this in a Bundt pan, but I prefer layer cakes. This method is therefore written for two (2) 9 1/2-inch cake pans. You will also need an electric mixer, two mixing bowls, a wire rack, and an offset spatula for frosting the cake layers.

How to Make Pistachio Watergate Cake

Before You Begin

Preheat oven to 350°F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 1/2-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Flour both pans, tapping out all excess. Set aside.

Make the Batter

In a large bowl, combine a box of cake mix, oil, one box of pudding mix, soda, eggs, and if using, several drops of green food coloring. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until well combined. NOTE: if you like a nutty flavor to your bakes, add 1/2-cup of finely chopped walnuts, stirring to combine.

Bake and Cool

Pour batter equally into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The sides of the cakes should be visibly pulling away from the pans.

Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans atop a wire cooling rack. After 15 minutes, invert the pans slowly to remove the cakes, setting back atop the wire rack.

Make the Whipped Topping

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining packages of pistachio pudding mix, a cup of COLD milk, COLD heavy cream, and if using, several drops of green food coloring on high speed. Beat until light and fluffy, then refrigerate 15 minutes.

Frost and Garnish

Place the completely cooled first cake layer on a cake plate. Frost with with just under half of the chilled whipped topping. Place the second cake layer atop the first and frost the top of the cake and around the sides with the remaining whipped topping.

Take the chopped walnuts and combine them with the chopped pistachios. If using flaked coconut, add to the nut mixture now. Using your dominant hand, scoop up a handful of the nut mixture. Using your other hand, spin the cake as you press your palm-full of nuts into the side of the cake.

Go around the cake at least once adhering the nuts, twice to fill in bald spots. TIP: I perform the adhesion of the nuts over my kitchen sink so that nuts that do not adhere land in the sink rather than on my counters and floor. Serve and enjoy!

Storage Instructions

Because of the fresh cream and milk in the whipped frosting, this cake requires refrigeration. If you have a cake dome, I recommend using that, however plastic film loosely tented also works.

Modifying the Norm To Make It Not Entirely Average

• Use yellow cake mix instead of white cake mix.This will give the cake a slightly different flavor and color.
• Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped pineapple (with the juice) or flaked coconut to the cake batter.This will add a tropical twist to the cake.
• Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts, such as walnuts, macadamias, or pistachios, to the cake batter.This will add a bit of crunch and flavor to the cake.
• Instead of 7-Up or other lemon lime soda, make this with club soda, carbonated water, or even ginger ale.This will give the cake a bit more of a fizzy flavor.

See Also

Old-Fashioned Watergate Salad Recipe

Vintage Watergate Cake

Jenny DeRemer

Watergate Cake is a delicious and easy-to-make pistachio cake with a creamy whipped frosting. This classic cake is perfect for any occasion, and it's sure to impress your guests. Try this recipe today!

5 from 25 votes

Servings: 12 servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Cooling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 12 servings

Calories 367 kcal

Equipment

• ▢

  2 9 1/2-inch cake pans

Ingredients

for the cake

• ▢ cooking spray for greasing the cake pans
• ▢ all-purpose flour for flouring the cake pans
• ▢ 1 (15.25-ounce) box white cake mix
• ▢ 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant pistachio pudding
• ▢ 1 cup lemon lime soda such as 7-Up, Sprite, or Mountain Dew; may substitute ginger ale or club soda
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ ½ cup canola oil

for the pistachio whipped topping

• ▢ 2 (3.4-ounce) boxes instant pistachio pudding
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk VERY COLD
• ▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream VERY COLD
• ▢ ½ cup pistachios chopped
• ▢ ½ cup walnuts chopped

optional additions

• ▢ ½ cup walnuts very finely chopped; this is in addition to the specification above and are for use in the cake batter
• ▢ ¼ cup flaked coconut for use in garnish; combine with chopped mixed nuts before adhering mixture to cake
• ▢ green food coloring as needed and only if desired; add to cake batter and/or whipped topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 1/2-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Flour both pans, tapping out all excess. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, combine a box of cake mix, oil, one box of pudding mix, soda, eggs, and if using, several drops of green food coloring. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until well combined. NOTE: if you like a nutty flavor to your bakes, add 1/2-cup of finely chopped walnuts, stirring to combine.

• Pour batter equally into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The sides of the cakes should be visibly pulling away from the pans. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans atop a wire cooling rack. After 15 minutes, invert the pans slowly to remove the cakes, setting back atop the wire rack.

• In a separate bowl, combine the remaining packages of pistachio pudding mix, a cup of COLD milk, COLD heavy cream, and if using, several drops of green food coloring on high speed. Beat until light and fluffy, then refrigerate 15 minutes.

• Place the completely cooled first cake layer on a cake plate. Frost with the chilled whipped topping. Place the second cake layer atop the first and frost the top of the cake and around the sides.

• Take the remaining half cup of chopped walnuts and combine them with the chopped pistachios. If using flaked coconut, add to the nut mixture now. Using your dominant hand, scoop up a handful of the nut mixture. Using your other hand, spin the cake as you press your palm-full of nuts into the side of the cake.

  Go around the cake at least once adhering the nuts, twice to fill in bald spots. TIP: I perform the adhesion of the nuts over my kitchen sink so that nuts that do not adhere land in the sink rather than on my counters and floor.

• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storing This Cake: because of the fresh cream and milk in the whipped frosting, this cake requires refrigeration. If you have a cake dome, I recommend using that, however plastic film loosely tented also works. This cake may be kept up to 3 days under refrigeration.

DO NOT FREEZE

Variations:

• Use yellow cake mix instead of white cake mix.This will give the cake a slightly different flavor and color.
• Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped pineapple (with the juice) or flaked coconut to the cake batter.This will add a tropical twist to the cake.
• Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts, such as walnuts, macadamias, or pistachios, to the cake batter.This will add a bit of crunch and flavor to the cake.
• Instead of 7-Up or other lemon lime soda, make this with club soda, carbonated water, or even ginger ale.This will give the cake a bit more of a fizzy flavor.

The nutrition value can vary depending on what product(s) you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.

Please note that table salt and iodized salt are NOT substitutions for Kosher salt. Do not deviate unless otherwise specified.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 7gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 49mgPotassium: 197mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 729IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 1mg

Did you love this recipe?Leave a comment and Let me know how it was!