Banana Split Cake

Today, David's mom and dad had a little birthday party for David's Uncle Eddie. Eddie loves to play volleyball, so Earl, Shirley, and David organized a volleyball game for him. David asked me if I would mind to make a birthday cake. Would I mind to make a birthday cake?! Apparently, David forgot who he was married to! Of course I'd make a birthday cake. But David asked me one more question: Can you make it look like a cow? You see, Eddie is a dairy farmer. I did what I could. I made it white with black spots. It's a little more like a Dalmation than a Holstein, but it was the best I could do. I decided on a Banana Split Cake, which is one of my favorite cakes to make. It's easy and delicious. You've seen the outside...let me show you what's inside this cake:Oh, yes it is. Strawberries and Cool-Whip. Yum. I'm telling you, this cake is so easy it's ridiculous. And the taste? Even ridiculouser (if that was a real word). It's got all the flavors of a banana split...banana, strawberry, pineapple, hot fudge...even a cherry on top!

Banana Split Cake

Blue Hyacinth (from Recipezaar)

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 pkg. instant banana pudding mix

1 1/2 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

8 oz. Cool-Whip, thawed and divided

10 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed and drained

1/4 cup hot fudge, warmed

maraschino cherries

2 Tbs. chopped walnuts, optional (I left these out because some folks are funny about nuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with Baker's Joy, or grease and flour them.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, and eggs until smooth.

Stir in pineapple and then pour the batter into the cake pans, dividing equally.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup Cool-Whip and the strawberries and mix well.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate and frost the top with the strawberry mixture.

Place the second layer over the first, then frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped topping.

Drizzle with hot fudge sauce (make sure the hot fudge is just warm enough to become pourable or pipeable...if it's too hot it will "melt" your frosting), then place the cherries around the edges of the cake and sprinkle evenly with the nuts.

Serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to serve.

It turned out much nicer than I thought it would, what with trying to pipe hot fudge and all. However, it's not quite the cake you want to have sitting out in 85-degree heat...it kind of starts to melt on you. Just make sure you keep it refrigerated, and it'll be okay!