Vintage Watergate Cake with Pistachio Pudding and Cream Cheese Frosting
Watergate Cake is inspired by the vintage salad and has been on just about every Southern potluck table since the 1970s. That same flavor turns into a soft, three-layer cake with a light green crumb and luscious cream cheese frosting that feels straight out of a vintage recipe box.
Servings 16
Calories 603kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cup cake flour
- 1 3 oz pkg pistachio pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs room temp
- 2 egg whites room temp
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cup Sprite
- ¾ cup coconut
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 3 oz pkg pistachio pudding mix
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup salted pistachios chopped
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper cut to the size of the bottom of the cake pans. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of the pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until creamy and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the oil and beat an additional minute. Add eggs one at a time, ending with the egg whites, beating after each addition until incorporated. Add vanilla and coconut and beat until well combined.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture with the Sprite in three additions, beating on low just until incorporated, don’t over mix. Pour the batter evenly into the three cake pans.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run an offset spatula or knife around the edges and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
- Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the pistachio pudding mix and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to combine. Slowly add the powdered sugar with the mixer on low. Once incorporated, beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Assemble the cake layers spreading frosting between each. Frost the sides and then the top. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Notes
- Freezing the layers make it easier to frost.
