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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Pistachio Cake


Growing up, the ice cream joint we would frequent was good ol' Baskin and Robbins. I would inevitably get that bubble gum ice cream that had the actual gum pieces mixed in. I would sit there and eat the ice cream but spit out the gum onto a napkin so when I was done with the ice cream, I could eat all of the gum at once. I know, I was weird.
My dad, however, would get their pistachio almond ice cream. He finally convinced me to try it. And right then I decided that as much as I loved that pink bubblegum ice cream, I would give it up for that yummy pistachio. And then when Florida got Blue Bell ice cream and they had a pistachio almond flavor that became a staple in my freezer, I renewed my love affair with pistachios once again.
So even though I love pistachio ice cream and eating just plain pistachios, I have never really attempted to make anything else with that as the main flavor. I have seen plenty of recipes I wanted to try but haven't yet. So when I saw this and I had everything needed, I finally took life by the reins(or is it horns?) and just made it right then!
It is really yummy. I found it on Pioneer Woman. I do agree with her that it isn't a really strong pistachio flavor but when you add a glaze and chopped pistachios, it really rounds it out nicely. My oldest daughter is obviously following in her mother's footsteps. After I finally convinced her to try a piece, she ate like half the cake in 2 days. I am totally serious. Oh, does that say something bad about my parenting skills??? Oops.

Pistachio Cake

Ingredients:

Box of white cake mix
1 package (4 oz) Pistachio Instant Pudding Mix
1/2 c Orange Juice
1/2 c water
1/2 c vegetable oil
4 eggs
3/4 c chocolate syrup (like Hershey's)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bundt pan.

Mix all ingredients but chocolate syrup and beat for two minutes on medium-high. Pour 3/4 of the batter into the bundt pan.

Add chocolate syrup to the remaining batter and mix well. Pour chocolate-laced batter on top of the pistachio batter.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Note: You can use a knife to swirl chocolate batter into the pistachio batter for more of a marbled design.

She recommended a chocolate ganache but I made a vanilla glaze instead. I am sure it would be great with either!!