2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 ounces individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter one 9 inch springform pan. 
2. Toast the pecans at 350 degrees F for 6 minutes. Remove pecans and set aside. Leave oven at 350F. In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter. 
3. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs with the melted butter then press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Place the pan onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. 
4 In a double boiler, or a bowl set over barely simmering water, melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour this over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the nuts over the top. 
5. In a bowl, combine the cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. Melt the chocolate chips in the double boiler and mix into the cheese mixture. Pour the batter over the caramel layer. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until barely set. Chill over night
in the refrigerator before serving.

Carrot Pineapple Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. 
2. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Make a 
well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden 
spoon until smooth. Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple. 
3. Pour into 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Don't panic, the center will sink a little. Allow to cool. 
4 To make the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until creamy.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet miniature chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. 
2. In large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Mix at medium speed until well blended. Stir in eggs one at a time. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter over baked crust. 
3. Bake in preheated oven for 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan. Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 cups milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with graham crackers. In a large 
bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding according to directions on box. 
Fold in the whipped topping. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the 
graham crackers. Alternate the graham cracker and pudding layers up to the 
top of the pan. Cook the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the 
microwave for 1 minute on half power. Pour over the top of the cake. 
Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl beat cream cheese, butter, and allspice until blended. 
Gradually add confectioners' sugar, and mix until well-combined. Stir in 
vanilla. Gradually add milk, beating until frosting is of spreading 
consistency.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the nuts and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

Cream Puff Cake

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
4 cups milk
3 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large heavy saucepan, heat butter and water to boiling over medium-high heat. Add flour and reduce heat to low. Cook and stir until it forms a ball and pulls away from the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Spread in bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. 
Bake at 400F for 35 minutes. Cool completely.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and milk and beat until smooth. Add pudding mix and beat until thickened. Spread over cooled shell. Top with whipped topping, and drizzle chocolate syrup over the top.

Dump Cake

1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup margarine, melted
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In one 9x13 inch pan layer the cherry pie filling and the drained pineapple. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top, covering evenly. Pour the melted margarine over the cake mix and sprinkle the top with the coconut and chopped walnuts. 
3. Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, ice cream, or non-dairy whipped topping.

English Trifle

2 (8 or 9 inch) white cake layers, baked and cooled
2 pints fresh strawberries
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 bananas
1/4 cup orange juice
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
12 maraschino cherries

Slice strawberries and sprinkle them with sugar. Cut the bananas into 
slices and toss with orange juice. Combine pudding mix with milk and mix 
until smooth. Cut the cake into 1 inch cubes. 
Use half of the cake cubes to line the bottom of a large glass bowl. Layer half of the strawberries followed by half of the blueberries, and then half of the bananas. Spread half of the pudding over the fruit. Repeat layers in the same order. 
In a medium bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks and spread over top of trifle. Garnish with maraschino cherries and slivered almonds.

Eclair Cake

1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

1. Blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk in a medium sized bowl. Stir until well blended. 
2. Lay one single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of the baking pan. Do not crumble, leave whole. You can fill in gaps with crackers broken in half if needed. Spoon half of the pudding mixture over the crackers and spread evenly. Repeat with another layer of crackers. Spoon the remaining pudding mixture over the crackers and spread evenly again. Top with a final layer of graham crackers. 
3. Spread the fudge frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of pan. If you find this step too difficult, you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate cake for 30 minutes or so, to firm up the pudding mix, then frost cake. Once frosted, refrigerate cake for at least 4 hours before serving.