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Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake

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Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake with pistachio cake layers, pistachio "Grinch fur" buttercream, and matching hearts and snowflake sprinkles.
Servings 12 square slices
Author Mandy Merriman - Baking with Blondie

Equipment

  • Wilton 21 or 24 piping tip (small star tip)
  • scallop cake scraper that can fit inside the 9x13 sheet pan
  • 9x13 dish

Ingredients

Pistachio Sheet Cake

  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 3 egg whites room temperature
  • 1 whole egg room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 3.4oz Box Pistachio Pudding Mix I used JELL-O Brand
  • 1 15.25oz Box White Cake Mix I used Duncan Hines

Pistachio Buttercream

  • 3 sticks (or 1 1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter left out at room temperature for 10 minutes
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 3.4oz Box Pistachio Pudding Mix (sifted so the pistachio bits are OUT)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream yes, that's correct - the pudding soaks up the heavy cream really fast.
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 drops green gel coloring for the "grinch hair" border

Garnishes/Extras

  • heart sprinkles
  • snowflake sprinkles
  • silver dragees remove before eating if desired

Instructions

For the Pistachio Sheet Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, then prep a 9x13 pan with shortening or nonstick spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk up all the cake ingredients except for the cake mix. Sift in the cake mix and gently stir to combine. Spread into the prepared dish and bake for 25-27 minutes until the center is baked through. Set aside to cool completely.

For the Pistachio Buttercream

  • Whip up the butter until it's light and fluffy, then add in the salt, vanilla, pistachio mix (sifted so the pistachio nut bits are out), and heavy cream. Whip up for 1 minute, then add in the powdered sugar and whip up on high speed until it's light and fluffy. Add in a touch more heavy cream if needed. Reserve 2 cups of buttercream and tint the reserved buttercream a deeper shade of green for the "grinch hair" border.

Assembly/Decoration

  • Spread on the light green buttercream onto the baked/cooled cake, then use a scalloped cake comb to create the textured pattern (drag it from one end to the other). Pipe (using the darker green) the buttercream, using the 21 or 24 small start tip, into a "hair" border. Add on the hearts and snowflake sprinkles, then add on the silver dragees if using. Enjoy!