I love cake.
I love ice cream.
I love a scoop of ice cream resting comfortably on a slice of cake as my utensil-of-choice gently slices through for a perfect ratio of cake to ice cream. I slowly bring it to the tip of my lips. I part my lips and savor the glory that is ice cream and cake. It’s a party in the mouth.
Mmm, mmm good…
Way back in the 70s my mother made a Pistachio Cake that was totally delicious. It was a simple cake, and the recipe came from one of the popular women's magazines of the day. I assume it was the 70s but it could easily have been from the late 60s. Through the years whenever she made it I would, as a husky boy with a huskier appetite, devour piece after piece with the appropriate amount of vanilla ice cream.
When I moved to California the Pistachio Cake became a fond memory, and truth be told, I never thought about making it myself. I don’t know why. It just happened.
After my mother died I was going through her recipes, all neatly typed on 3x5 index cards, and came across the Pistachio Cake recipe. My fingers trembled at the thought of making it. In my hand was the secret recipe. I could feel the happy memories engulfing me. I even had a tear release itself from my eye. A tear of pistachio joy.
In my snotty way I have considered myself a real good cook, a real good baker who only uses fresh ingredients and makes everything from scratch. In my kitchen the rule is no “package” ingredients whatsoever, It would be like Picasso using a paint-by-numbers kit.
Now I make one tiny exception: The Pistachio Cake
I’ve made it for friends and they all love it and they’ve asked for the recipe. So without any further explanation I have decided to share it with all of you:
1 pkg. white cake mix
1 pkg. Royal Instant Pistachio pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup Crisco Oil
3/4 cup water
4 tsp. almond extract
Combine all in bowl. Beat for 3 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.
When cooled cover with powdered sugar.
If you really want to give it an even more 60s/70s throwback feel instead of vanilla ice cream use a big scope of Cool Whip.
The Pistachio Cake is a perfect way for me to remember my Mom… maybe your Mom too.
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