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A decadent treat that is super simple to make

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EastIdahoNews.com Staff

Brenda Stanley, EastIdahoNews.com columnist

Watch how to make Belle’s Avalanche Cake in the video above!

Tales of the Dinner Belle

Working as a television news anchor with five children, including two sets of twins born twenty months apart, and then trying to get dinner on the table each night was often a challenge. However, with work, the kids’ sports and school activities, I felt it was the only time I could ever get the family together in one spot to catch up, so I made it a priority.

With that in mind, I became an expert of sorts at making quick and easy meals that my entire family would enjoy. My kids are now grown with families of their own, and now they ask me for all those recipes. So I started to compile hundreds of those dishes that are simple to make and are still delicious and satisfying. Everything from meats and casseroles, to salads, breads, and desserts.

I’ve written four cookbooks, and now I’m going to share many of my recipes with you in both articles and videos. You can find them here at EastIdahoNews.com as well as many more on my website at talesofthedinnerbelle.com. I want more families to gather around the dinner table and I hope these recipes will help. I look forward to hearing what you think!

To start, here’s a sweet treat that offers no apologies — well, except for the fact that this cake is super simple to make. It’s one that can be put together and baked in less than an hour.

My avalanche cake is loaded with decadent flavors like chocolate, cream cheese, crunchy pecans and sweet coconut. It is very similar to a German chocolate cake, but if you can imagine — even richer. This cake is layered with the pecans and coconut on the bottom and then a creamy and sweet topping that actually seeps into the cake making it super moist and delicious. Like I said, this dish is a dieter’s worst nightmare, but a sweet tooth’s dream come true.

Belle’s Avalanche Cake

  • 1/2 cup margarine
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ oil
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt and spread 1/2 cup butter in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle coconut and pecans evenly over the bottom of pan. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, oil, and water until smooth. Pour batter over coconut and pecans in pan.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter. Wisk in powdered sugar until mixture is smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture over top of cake batter. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Brenda Stanley is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins and a grandmother of seven. She is a cookbook author and novelist. For more recipes and information, visit her website www.talesofthedinnerbelle.com.

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