PISTACHIO CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease & sugar (or flour) two 9" cake pans or three 8" cake pans or a bundt pan.
• 2. LAYERS: Blend cake mix and pudding. Mix a few drops of food coloring to water then add to cake mix. (I use sparkling water most of the time). Add oil, eggs & 1 tsp of almond extract & beat for 4 minutes on low speed w/mixer.
• 3. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake at 350 for approximately 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done. Turn out layers and cool completely. Once layers are cooled split each layer, using a bread knife or dental floss.
• 4. ICING: Using low speed on mixer, beat butter until smooth, then slowly beat in the powdered sugar until blended well and is smooth. Now using a spoon, add in the 2 tsp of almond extract and blend well. Now add milk, a little at a time, until you acheive a spreading consistency.
• 5. Generously ice between each layer, sides and top of cake. NOTE: if you're making this a bundt cake, you'll need to bake it approximately 45-50 minutes. Also use only 1 stick butter,16 oz powdered sugar & 1 tsp almond extract (and, of course, enough milk for spreading consistency). Ice top & sides of bundt cake.
• 6. NOTE: I use Wilton's Cake Release in my cake pans rather than using a spray like Baker's Joy or oil and flour. I get mine from either Walmart or Michaels. It' a wonderful product and I have never had a cake to stick to the pan when using it.