Chocolate Pudding Sundae Cake

This recipe comes from my late stepmother, who made it frequently to bring to Holidays and parties because it's so easy and so good!  Brought back lots of good memories making this and thinking about her.  

The crust is buttery, oh so buttery - I mean, after all, it's just flour and butter mixed together with your choice of nuts (optional) and then baked.  Topped with a cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and cool whip mixture followed by chocolate pudding, then more cool whip.  Add more nuts and Maraschino cherries (again, both optional) to really make it like a sundae!  I opted to use pecans in the crust, but didn't use any on top.  The original recipe calls for walnuts, but I didn't have any nor do I like them!    

Certainly not the prettiest dessert to take pictures of.  Usually it doesn't come out of the pan this nice and neat, but I really worked at it.  The best part is, it doesn't matter because you want to taste all the layers together in one bite and if it gets all mixed up as you serve it, then all the better!

Serves 18-20

Chocolate Pudding Sundae Cake

Crust
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

First layer
1 (8 oz) package of neufchatel cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8 oz) tub light cool whip

Second layer
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant chocolate pudding
3 cups milk

Third layer
1 (8 oz) tub light cool whip
Maraschino cherries
1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Make the crust by mixing the flour, butter and pecans, with a spatula or fork, until everything is combined and smooth.  Press into a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Make the first layer by beating the cream cheese and butter with a hand held mixer until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients, beat well.  Spread on cooled crust.

Second layer - combine the pudding mix and milk, mix well with a whisk.  Layer over cream cheese mixture.

For the third layer, spread the tub of cool whip over the pudding mixture.  Top with more pecans and Maraschino cherries (optional).

Allow cake to sit in fridge for at least an hour to firm up.  Serve cold and store in fridge.