Watergate Cake: The 1970s Pistachio Cake Made with Soda

Pistachio pudding and soda in a cake? Today, we’re recreating a classic 1970s Watergate Cake, complete with walnuts and a soft, pale green pistachio topping. Follow along as we make the batter, bake the cake, prepare the topping, and cut the first square. Did your family make Watergate Cake? Tell us in the comments: club soda or lemon-lime soda—and which nuts did you use? FULL RECIPE Makes approximately 12–16 servings. Pan: 9 × 13 inches (23 × 33 cm). Oven: 350°F (approximately 175°C), conventional oven. CAKE INGREDIENTS • 1 box white cake mix, 15.25 oz (432 g) • 1 package instant pistachio pudding mix, 3.4 oz (96 g), used dry • 1 cup vegetable oil (approximately 240 ml) • 3 large eggs • 1 cup club soda OR lemon-lime soda (approximately 240 ml) • ½ cup chopped walnuts (approximately 50 g) PISTACHIO TOPPING • 1 additional package instant pistachio pudding mix, 3.4 oz (96 g), used dry • 1 cup milk (approximately 240 ml) • 9 oz thawed whipped topping (255 g), such as Cool Whip METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 × 13-inch metal baking pan. 2. Combine the white cake mix, one package of dry pistachio pudding mix, vegetable oil, eggs, soda, and chopped walnuts in a large bowl. 3. Beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners. 5. Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out without wet batter. 6. Leave the cake in its pan and allow it to cool completely before adding the topping. 7. In a clean bowl, combine the second package of dry pistachio pudding mix, milk, and thawed whipped topping. Beat for about 2 minutes, until evenly combined and softly thickened. Refrigerate while the cake finishes cooling. 8. Spread the topping over the completely cooled cake. 9. Cover without touching the topping and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing. 10. Keep the finished cake and any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. IMPORTANT INGREDIENT NOTES • You need TWO pudding packages in total: one for the cake and one for the topping. • Use INSTANT pudding mix, not cook-and-serve pudding. • Add the pudding powder dry. Do not prepare it according to the package directions. • Use either club soda or lemon-lime soda—not both. • The topping requires 9 oz: an 8 oz tub alone is not the full amount. Add another 1 oz of thawed whipped topping. • This recipe uses a 15.25 oz box of white cake mix. Check the package weight, as box sizes vary. Subscribe to The Way We Once Lived for more classic recipes from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, recreated in today’s kitchen. Visuals are AI-generated illustrations of the recipe steps. #WatergateCake #VintageRecipes #1970sRecipes #nostalgia #1960s #1950s #1960snostalgia