Pineapple Pecan Pudding Cake

From Paula Deen – a cake with all the goodies that she loves to use in her dishes ( minus the mayonnaise ) ;-)

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1 (18 1/4ounce) package  yellow cake mix
• 1  cup milk
• 4  eggs
• 1⁄3 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  cup  chopped pecans
• 1 (20 ounce) can  crushed pineapple in juice

• Toppings

• 2  cups  cold milk
• 1 (3 1/2ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 6  tablespoons sugar

• Garnish

• 1⁄2 cup  chopped pecans
• 1⁄2 cup coconut flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and flour a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan.
2. In a bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, eggs, oil and pecans. Stir until just moistened, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.
4. When the cake is done, prick the top all over with a fork. Pour the pineapple and juice over the hot cake. Let cool.
5. While the cake is baking, prepare the toppings by stirring together the pudding mix and milk then beating in the cream cheese, a few small pieces at a time.
6. Whip the cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate while cake cools.
7. Spread cream cheese mixture over the crushed pineapple then cover the cake with whipped cream. Garnish with pecans and coconut.
8. Refrigerate. (She says that the longer it sits, the better it tastes.).