A Piece of Cake...

Birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more cake!! And Fishmama over at LifeasMom is hosting a Birthday Cake Roundup today. I've known about this for a few weeks now and was trying to scrounge up my past pictures of our birthday cakes here (extras of many that are already scrapbooked...prior to us having a digital camera) but to no avail. I can't even find a picture of my dear sons John Deere tractor cake...and that took me three cakes to get it right!! After re-arranging many of my scrapbooking pictures, they seem to have been moved to many different areas of our home, in many different boxes. Proof positive I need to get my supplies organized...just as soon as I have a free moment!! LOL!

So...instead of a birthday cake, I've decided to share the cake that I'm making for my daughters school Cake Auction next week: (this would make a delicious birthday cake for someone!!) I just might bid on it myself!!

CHEESECAKE STUFFED DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE (picture above)

From 'Southern Living'

INGREDIENTS

Unsweetened cocoa

1 (18.25 oz.) package devil's food cake mix

1 (3.4 oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. Chocolate extract (optional) (I do not use)

1 tsp. Almond extract

3 (1.55 oz.) milk chocolate bars, chopped (we tested with Hershey's)

3 (16 oz.) cans homestyle cream cheese frosting

1 (7.75 oz) boxes frozen cheesecake bites, coarsely chopped (we tested with Sara Lee)

1 (12 oz.) jar dulce de leche caramel sauce (we tested with Smucker's)

Double chocolate rolled wafer cookies, coarsely broken (we tested with Pirouline)

Chocolate fudge rolled wafer cookies, coarsely broken (we tested with Pepperidge Farm)

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS

-- Grease 2 (9") round cake pans, and dust with cocoa.

-- Beat cake mix and next 7 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute; then beat at medium speed 2 minutes.

-- Fold in chopped milk chocolate bars.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS --

Bake at 350 degrees for 32 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool cake in pans on wire racks 10 mins.; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and chill cake layers at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. (this step enables you to split cake layers with ease.)

SERVING SUGGESTIONS--

Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers. --

Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with 1/4 chopped cheesecake bites. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 layers, frosting, and cheesecake bites, omitting cheesecake bites on top of last layer. --

Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. --

Drizzle desired amount of caramel sauce over cake, letting it drip down sides. Chill until ready to serve. Decorate cake with rolled wafer Cookies and remaining chopped cheesecake bites. Store in refrigerator.

YIELD: 12 servings

Children's Birthday parties can be so expensive! What do you do to make it frugal or a little more affordable??