Pistachio Cake

My son Mike's birthday is New Year's Eve, and he loves all sweets. 

I decided to have a slice the next day, by my cozy fire.  This cake keeps so well in the fridge.  I'm surprised Mike hasn't finished it off!  I did share some with Avery and Landon when they came over, and they loved it and had it with some pistachio ice cream.

I hadn't even planned a theme, but my Royal Albert Snowdrops teacup serendipitously fit the bill! 

  

Isn't this a beautiful cake?   My Baker's Joy that I always use for baking was not cooperating , and  I remembered  Mary's recipe at  Home Is Where The Boat Is for Cake Release and I'm telling you, it worked fabulously!  With a mixer, mix 1/2 cup shortening, and 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a medium bowl until smooth.   Add in 1/2 cup flour until it makes a smooth paste.  Store in  an airtight container.  It keeps for 3 months in the pantry, or 6 months in the fridge.  You need to apply a THIN layer with a pastry brush on the inside of your pans.  If you apply a thick layer, your cake will stick.  

Yield: 1 bundt cake

Author: Kitty, but recipe comes from Tina at epicuricloud

Pistachio Bundt Cake

This recipe is from Tina Verrelli, who does recipes on QVC when she's demonstrating Kitchen Aid products. It's a very moist beautiful cake with a ribbon of cinnamon sugar in the middle. I opted for the cream cheese glaze to make it look like snow for my son, Mike's, birthday cake. Mike made a tiny skier out of some wire.

Ingredients

• Non stick baking spray
• 1 3.4 ounce box pistachio instant pudding mix
• 1 box white cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cups oil
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
• powdered sugar for dusting cake, if desired
• Cream Cheese Glaze
• 2 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (I used a little more to thicken it up)
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons milk start with 2 tablespoons and add more to reach desired consistency

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray bundt pan with non-stick baking spray
3. Use stand mixer or hand mixer to mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream and oil until smooth.
4. Pour in half the batter.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
6. Pour rest of batter.
7. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto cake plate and allow to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if not making glaze.
9. For the glaze:
10. Whip cream cheese, then add the powdered sugar and mix together.
11. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk and mix until smooth. Add more milk if needed.
12. Spread on top of the cooled cake.

Riley left to go back to South Korea and stopped by to say his goodbyes.  Mike made his little skier for a decoration on his cake.  

I was so thrilled that Avery and Landon wanted to come over to see me.  First we had homemade pizza because they were starving, and luckily it was ready to come out of the oven when they arrived.  They ate the entire pizza.  When Avery left, she said that I could make that pizza anytime for her.  I had made mini gingerbread houses from my cozy village bundt pan for my Christmas party for the kids to decorate, but we never got to them, so I froze them.  I let Avery and Landon choose which one they each wanted to decorate as they're all slightly different.  They did such a good job!  After that, Avery and I made the batter for the pizzelles, which she has always loved since she was little.  They made the pizzelles together;  one dropped the batter onto the maker, and the other timed.  They are such a fun couple and so personable, talkative, and kind.   What a fun day we had!  They're both going to the University of Arkansas next year.  

Thank you for your visit!  xo

I'm sharing with these parties:

Talking About It Tuesdays

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage