snack saturday

Monkeying-Around Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 cup cold milk
1/2 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1 cup thawed Whipped Topping
1/2 cup whipping cream
4-1/2 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate
2 Vanilla Wafers
2 Mini OREO Cookies
1 piece black string licorice


HEAT oven to 350ºF. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; pour into greased and floured 2-L ovenproof glass bowl. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool cake in bowl 15 min.; invert onto wire rack. Cool completely.

BEAT pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter; beat until well blended. Stir in Cool Whip. Cut cake horizontally in half; place flat layer on plate. Frost with half the pudding mixture; cover with remaining cake half, rounded-side up. Spoon remaining pudding mixture into resealable plastic bag; refrigerate with cake until ready to use.

BRING cream just to boil in small saucepan on low heat. Add chocolate; cook until melted, stirring constantly. Cool 10 min. Meanwhile, dip edges of wafers in glaze; place on plate. Let stand until glaze is firm. Spread remaining glaze onto cake.

MAKE 2 small cuts in top of cake; insert wafers in cuts for the monkey's ears. Refrigerate 30 min.

CUT corner off 1 bottom corner of bag of pudding mixture; use to pipe pudding mixture onto cake for the monkey's mouth and into mound on top of head as shown in photo. Cut 6-inch length from licorice; place on cake for mouth. Cut remaining licorice piece in half; add to cake for the nostrils. Split Oreo Cookies in half; place icing-covered halves on cake for the eyes. Discard remaining Oreo halves or reserve for snacking. Keep cake refrigerated.