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Home » Recipes » Dreamy Watergate Cake Recipe

Dreamy Watergate Cake Recipe

Published: May 29, 2021 · Modified: Jan 6, 2023 by Lynda · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

This Watergate cake recipe is a creamy and delicious pistachio dessert that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s been a family favorite for years, and it’s easy to make thanks to a box of pudding mix and Dream Whip.

Watergate cake on a plate.
Jump to:
  • 📝Ingredients
  • 👩🏻‍🍳How To Make Watergate Cake
  • FAQ
  • 📖 Recipe

If you like Watergate Salad, then you’re going to love this cake! It’s topped with a delicious frosting that keeps the cake cold—perfect for hot days when all we want is something refreshing.

The cake and frosting have a nice, light green color thanks to pistachio pudding mix.

This Watergate cake is sure to be a hit at any gathering. It’s light and creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness. The pistachio flavor is subtle but adds a nice touch. The frosting is light and fluffy, and it’s the perfect topping for this delicious cake.

📝Ingredients

For this pistachio cake recipe, you need the following ingredients:

  • 2 boxes (3.4 ounces each) instant pudding mix, pistachio flavored
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 cup 7-Up
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1½ cups milk
  • 2 envelopes of Dream Whip
Ingredients to make a watergate cake.

👩🏻‍🍳How To Make Watergate Cake

If you have never worked with Dream Whip, don’t let it intimidate you. Dream Whip is a commercial powdered mix to make whipped cream. If you have a mixer, you won’t have any problems with it.

To make Watergate Cake, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit). While it is warming up, grease and flour a 9×13 cake pan. Alternatively, you can use Baker’s Joy to prep the pan. Just spray a light layer over the bottom and inside.

For the cake, blend one box of instant pistachio pudding mix, a box of white cake mix, 7-Up, egg whites, and oil in a mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed.

Cake mix, eggs, pudding mix, and oil in a mixing bowl.
Green cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Watergate cake batter in a glass baking dish.
Bake cake in a glass 9x13-inch pan.

Cool the cake completely before making the pistachio whipped topping.

For the topping, beat 1 box of pistachio pudding mix, milk, and the Dream Whip. Beat until it is thick and peaks form.

Watergate frosting on a whisk attachment.

Spread the topping on top of the cake, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator. This cake will need to be kept cold at all times.

Frosted watergate cake in a glass baking dish.

If you plan on taking it to a family get-together, church potluck, or some other event, pack it in a container and include ice packs. Remember, the icing is made with a dairy product and needs to be kept cold.

FAQ

Why is it called Watergate Cake?

The cake is similar to Watergate Salad which is made with pistachio pudding, canned pineapple, whipped topping, crushed pecans, and marshmallows.

There are two possibilities of how “Watergate” landed in the name that unites both dishes, though no one knows for sure.

The first possibility is that the Watergate Salad recipe was developed by the chef at the Watergate Hotel – yes, that one that made the news thanks to Richard Nixon.

According to Southern Living, the other explanation is that “the cake version has icing to ‘cover up’ any mistakes and,
like politics, is chock full of nuts.”

Slice of watergate cake on a white plate.

📖 Recipe

Watergate cake on a plate.

Watergate Dream Cake

This recipe for Watergate Cake has been enjoyed by my family for years. It's creamy and luscious and will have you wanting more.
4.43 from 59 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 cake
Calories: 436kcal
Author: Lynda

Ingredients

  • 1 3.4 ounce box instant pudding mix pistachio flavored
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 cup 7-Up
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup vegetable oil

Whipped Topping

  • 1 3.4 ounce box instant pudding mix pistachio flavored
  • 1½ cups milk
  • 2 envelopes whipped topping Dream Whip

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
  • Blend 1 box of pistachio pudding, cake mix, 7-Up, egg whites and oil in mixer for 5 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Cool completely.
  • Beat 1 box of pistachio pudding mix, milk and whipped topping. Beat until thick and peaks form. Ice/frost cake. Keep cake chilled.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 56mg | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Recipe Rating




  1. kim says

    February 14, 2022 at 2:12 pm

    Hi, I have all the ingredients and can’t wait to make this cake! I imagine it would be delicious using butterscotch pudding or even chocolate pudding as well. One question: do the egg whites make a difference in the recipe? I’ve read simiar recipes that called for the use of whole eggs and I’m wondering if anyone has tried it both ways?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      February 14, 2022 at 4:07 pm

      In the Watergate Cake version, if yolks were used, it would create a richer color whereas using just the whites keeps it nice and light allowing the batter to blend with the pistachio better.

      Reply
  2. Diane says

    July 31, 2021 at 8:58 am

    Can you use a bundt pan instead of 13×9?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      July 31, 2021 at 8:16 pm

      I don’t know. The cake might turn out alright, but the creamy topping probably would not work out right.

      Reply
  3. Karen says

    April 11, 2021 at 6:13 am

    How many servings does the 13×9 yield for 245 calories?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      April 11, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      Hi Karen,

      Great question – thanks for asking!

      I imagine you must have been thinking that the caloric value was awfully low. And it was. I don’t know how many servings was originally input to the app that calculated the nutrition, so I thought I would check into the values and plug-in 12 servings.

      The program that I am using now did not have the information for the pistachio pudding mix, cake mix, or Dream Whip. I plugged-in the values and updated the nutrition information.

      If you cut the cake into 12 even pieces, each slice should have 436 calories.

      I am so sorry that the previous information was not accurate.

      Lynda

      Reply
  4. Dina says

    April 06, 2021 at 3:13 am

    Should it be 2 boxes of instant pudding mix pistachio flavored? I can’t wait to make this on my next day off.

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      April 06, 2021 at 7:17 am

      It does take 2 boxes of instant pudding mix. Though I had 2 boxes listed, they weren’t together and it was easy to overlook. I updated the post – I hope that it is clearer now. Thanks for your input.

      Reply
    • Bell says

      June 15, 2021 at 11:31 am

      @Lynda, But you really need to indicate what size the instant pudding is, small box or large box. Because some people who have never made this before could be confused. This is one of my family’s favorite and I make it a lot, we love it. Also one box is for the cake and one box is for the icing.

      Reply
      • Lynda says

        June 15, 2021 at 12:36 pm

        Thank you so much for your feedback. I updated the post to reflect that small boxes (3.4 ounces) are what needed. It really is a delicious cake, isn’t it?!

        Reply
  5. Donna L Tidwell says

    March 02, 2021 at 5:57 am

    I love watergate cake. It was the first cake I baked as a child. EXCELLENT

    Reply
  6. Susan Badger says

    December 03, 2020 at 3:50 am

    My mom made this all all the time when I was growing up. One of my all time favorite desserts.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Cobb says

      December 17, 2021 at 1:20 am

      5 stars
      Mine as well!

      Reply
  7. Jennifer Deitch says

    October 12, 2020 at 11:22 am

    Everyone is out of the dream whip. Is there a substitute for dream whip?

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      October 12, 2020 at 11:30 am

      I am not sure. I googled it and this is some info that I found:

      “Dream whip is a mix to make your own whipped cream – yes you can use it in place of Cool Whip. … whip cream is natural, dream whip is synthetic, and cool whip is pre-whipped synthetic. If it calls for dream whip, read the recipe to see if it mixes anything other that milk and vanilla into the powder.” From Askinlot.com.

      I imagine that you could probably blend the pudding mix with Cool Whip or make whipped cream by beating heavy cream and then add the pudding mixture to the cream.

      Reply
  8. Kathy says

    June 20, 2020 at 11:36 am

    Lynda, Thank you for sharing a nice and easy recipe. I opted for lemon pudding, rather than pistachio, in the cake as well as the frosting for a nice summertime dessert. Yummy!

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      June 20, 2020 at 1:55 pm

      That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  9. Donna Brank says

    June 15, 2019 at 11:09 pm

    I’ve made this for years,. It’s even better if you add drained crushed pineapple, You can even use the juice in the cake. And since I am diabetic it works just as well with the no sugar pudding.

    Reply
  10. Erica says

    January 28, 2019 at 10:28 pm

    Tried it!! My family and my neighbors loved it!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Reply
  11. patti says

    January 31, 2015 at 7:26 pm

    Think I remember a similar recipe fro years past. i would make it tonight, if I only had the dream whip! I should buy some to have on hand

    Reply
  12. Alli says

    January 30, 2015 at 9:53 am

    I haven’t used Dreamwhip in years! Oh, the great memories that are flooding my mind. Your watergate cake looks like a dream. I think I’ll make it for St. Patrick’s day. Wish I had a piece right now.

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      January 30, 2015 at 10:26 am

      Thank you. It would make a great dessert for St. Patrick’s Day. Hope you enjoy it.

      Reply
  13. Paula says

    January 29, 2015 at 9:54 am

    Yum! That looks so good. I’ve never had it before. I have a piece of that bakeware and it is AMAZING.

    Reply
    • Dollie Smith says

      July 22, 2021 at 7:51 pm

      What can you use if you don’t have 7up.

      Reply
      • Lynda says

        July 23, 2021 at 8:47 am

        Sprite or any clear-colored soda should be fine.

        Reply

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Lynda and Johnny statue

My name is Lynda and I am a recovering sugar addict and travel junkie. I'm also a mom of two children & 2 dogs, wife of 1....and a messy cook taking life one bite at a time.

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