WATERGATE CAKE – VINTAGE RECIPE
This Watergate Cake is a vintage recipe your family will love. It’s made with pistachio pudding and is an excellent addition to any spring/summer gathering.
If you are a fan of pistachio, you will definitely need to make the classic Watergate Salad! It’s a wonderful addition to any holiday; some people call it the “green stuff”.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
This cake is made from a cake mix, which makes is super simple and it comes together really quickly. We love the combination of pistachio and coconut. It just goes really well together, and the cake is very moist, you add a cool whip frosting, and you have a delicious dessert. It’s so pretty too, so it’s perfect for Easter, St. Patrick’s Day or Mother’s Day!
SWAPS
If you are not a fan of pecans, you can substitute the nuts or leave them out. Yes, this cake is made with Cool Whip. No, I don’t think you can make your own. I don’t think it will work because the stability of the Cool Whip makes the frosting. You can always try it, but I recommend using Cool Whip.
⭐TIP
Cake mix sizes have changed over the years but this recipe works fine. We prefer the white cake mix, it makes the cake much prettier. You can use a yellow cake mix in a pinch. You can also make this cake in day in advance and it must be kept in the refrigerator.
SIMILAR CAKES
We love the simplicity of this cake; however, it’s delicious too! Anyone would think these cakes are made from scratch.
PISTACHIO RECIPES
If you love pistachios, you will want to check out these recipes, too!
STORING
This cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator. We keep it in a cake container.
SERVING SIZE
This cake serves 8-10, depending on how thick you cut the slices.
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Watergate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Box of White Cake Mix
- 3/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 3.4 ounce packet of instant pistachio pudding mix
- 1 cup of 7-up soda
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup of sweetened flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup of toasted pecans
Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 3.4 ounce packet of instant pistachio pudding
- 8- ounce Cool Whip thawed
- 1/2 cup of sweetened flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup of toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl mix with a mixer on medium speed the cake mix, oil, pudding, eggs, and 7-Up. Once mixed, fold in pecans and coconut. Pour into two greased 9-inch cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until done. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Combine pudding and milk and stir for until slightly thickened (usually around 2-4 minutes). Fold in Cool Whip. Spread frosting on the first layer of the cake and then frost the entire cake. Press the coconut and the pecans into the frosting and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve cold.
Notes
© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
This is a wonderful tasting cake! I simply love it! It will be on our Easter dinner table. I remember it from the 70s and it was great then as well as it is now.
Love your beautiful pictures on your website.
Thank you for the kind words Ann!
Can this be made in a 9 x 13 pan?
We have never made it that way, but you an always try it.
I have a question on the Cake Mix it says 3 Large Egg Whites, the recipe just says 3 large eggs. Which way is correct, Egg Whites or the Whole Egg??
Hi Donna, you would follow the recipe, not what it says on the back of the cake mix box. It’s three large eggs. Thanks!
can the pecans and coconut be put in the frosting instead on top?
Sure!
Could the coconut be left out? I wanted to make this for my son, and he doesn’t like coconut.
I think you could, but we have only made it the way it is written.
This cake sounds so delicious! Would sugar-free pistachio pudding and zero-sugar 7-UP work instead of regular? Thanks for all the recipes you share!
I think it could, but I am not sure since I have never made it that way. We are thrilled you are enjoying the recipes.
Oh my..my Grandmother made this cake every Easter. I recently made it in her honor and it took me right back to my childhood. Thank you ladies for all these classic recipes!
We are thrilled you made this recipe and it was so nostalgic for you!