Here’s an old newspaper clipping with a pistachio cake recipe – date unknown. It was found in a big box of old recipes.

Cooking on the front burner
by Frances Haynes

MAKING THE ROUNDS

Have you ever noticed how popular recipes seem to make the rounds? Every once in a while a particularly good cake, pie or casserole is served at a gathering and before long the recipe is being used throughout the community. We should be proud to share our recipes but we should also have enough pride not to withhold any little secrets which may have a bearing on the success or failure of the product. If you don’t want to have anyone else use your recipe, just say so, but please do not give partial directions.

Sometimes people have family recipes which they like to retain as their specialties. This is all well and good and we can understand their feeling in the matter. There are others who are kind enough to have copies of their recipes all ready to distribute should the occasion arise.

Not long ago, one of our readers in western Pennsylvania sent us a recipe for a cake which is making the rounds in that area. When it was first served at a church Circle meeting, the recipe quickly became public knowledge. One friend gave it to another and now the check-out ladies at the supermarket smilingly remark “So you are going to make the cake, too,” when the ingredients are purchased.

PISTACHIO CAKE

1 White cake mix
1 package pistachio instant pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon water
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Mix 1 white cake mix, 1 package pistachio instant pudding, 4 eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, and 3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon water. Grease lightly a 13 x 9 x 2 inch square cake pan or a round one of comparable size. Pour in the batter and then sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped nuts over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until done.

While the cake is baking, mix the following ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-3 cup water

When the cake is baked, take a fork and prick holes at intervals in the cake. Dribble the above mixture over the cake and bake for an additional five minutes. Cool and then serve with pride.

In the event that you cannot find pistachio instant pudding in your supermarket, lemon, chocolate or banana may be substituted but the color appeal will not be the same.