Spring is finally in the air, and we are leaning into everything fresh, green, and unapologetically cheerful. Enter the Pistachio Pudding Bundt Cake. This isn't just a dessert; it's a mood. It's that perfect shade of springtime mint that looks just as goon on a linen-draped table as it tastes with a morning cup of coffee. 

If you're looking for a cake that's impossibly moist and requires zero pastry chef stress, this is your new best friend. It's dense, it's velvety, and it has the nostalgic pudding-mix magic that makes everyone ask for the recipe before they've even finished their first slice (I know I did). And for this recipe we had a special guest contributor in the flour-dusted trenches: my brother-in-law, Eric. 

Now, Eric doesn't usually moonlight as a professional baker, but he stepped up to the plate for a birthday celebration. I won't say he's trying to outshine the rest of us, but when a cake comes out looking this sophisticated without a single cracked edge, you start to wonder if he's been practicing in secret. If you happen to see a guy wandering around with a suspicious amount of powdered sugar on his shirt and a look of quiet triumph, you've found our man. 

So, grab your favorite Bundt pan - it's time to see if you can give Eric a run for his money. Thanks for the recipe Eric!

PISTACHIO PUDDING CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 package yellow cake mix

1 package instant pistachio pudding mix

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil (or substitute butter)

3 large eggs lightly beaten

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup roughly chopped pistachios, plus extra for garnish.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup pistachio butter

3-4 cups of powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

Green food coloring, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 or 12 cup bundt cake pan with baking spray. Set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, add the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and water. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Fold in the chopped pistachios. 

3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

4. Mix together the frosting ingredients. Spread over the cooled cake and top with additional chopped pistachios.