This autumn dessert is not only
impressive, it’s totally decadent! No
one will ever guess it’s low fat, so don’t tell ‘em unless you have to! This
recipe originated from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine and was then
re-vamped by my pal, Amber Groeling, Topeka Hy-Vee Dietitian. I tweaked the recipe once more to add the
assorted toppings.
Serves
12
1
pkg. spice cake mix
15
oz. canned pumpkin puree
1
container French vanilla cool-whip, defrosted
12
oz. plain Greek yogurt
1
small pkg. instant cheesecake pudding mix, regular sugar-free
1
tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3
Tbs. chopped, toasted pecans
1/3
cup toasted coconut
2
Tbs. chopped dried cranberries
 |
| Cakes made in celebration of WIBW's 60th Anniversary, November 15, 2013. Cake on left is a white cake with whipped cream frosting and chocolate crumble topping. Pumpking torte (recipe here) is pictured on the right. |
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick
spray. In a large bowl using a spatula, gently combine cake mix and
pumpkin puree until blended; mixture will be very thick. Divide prepared mixture
between the cake pans and smooth with a spatula. Bake cakes for 15-20 minutes
until set and lightly browned: cool completely. (Cake will be dense, and
will not rise much during baking.) Meanwhile, combine cool-whip, yogurt,
pudding and spice mix until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To
assemble, place the first layer on a cake plate and top with ½ of the cool-whip
mixture; sprinkle with half of coconut.
Top with next cake layer and remaining cool-whip mixture. Garnish with
remaining coconut, pecans and cranberries.
Chill before serving.
Tip:
To ensure that your layer cakes always pop right out of the pans once
cooled, cut a parchment sheet into rounds that you can place into the bottom of
your cake pans; spray parchment and pan with nonstick spray, then fill pans with
cake mix and bake as usual.
Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli