Recipe InSeitz - Sand Cake

Last Saturday we attended a "Fiesta" at our dear friends house. It was a wonderful time hanging out with lots of people and about 100 kids running around. There was even a pinata for the kids. So each kid took a turn hitting the big pink star hanging from the tree. Maya took the bat and actually hit it with the handle side instead of the barrel so as you can guess she wasn't the one to break it. But she did give it a good effort. I think it was finally one of the older kids or maybe even one of the adults that broke it and once all the candy started to fly the kids went wild! Maya was super excited to get a few tootsie rolls and a sucker. It was like she had won the lottery! The next day she asked if she could have one of her special tootsie rolls and proceeded to say "mom, can we go trick or treating today?" I said "oh honey that is about 4 months away." This gal loves her candy let me tell you. I'm so afraid to take her to the dentist which we will have to do soon.

Anyway one of the desserts that a friend brought to share with everyone was called Sand Cake. It was super fun and a great dessert to bring to summer parties. I had never heard of it before and it was delicious. Just make sure you clean and sanitize your sand bucket or better yet just go out and buy a new one for a $1 and use it just for this dessert.

Sand Cake

1 12-ounce box Nilla Wafers
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip 
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened 
1 4-ounce package vanilla or chocolate instant pudding mix 
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the "sand" by crushing the Nilla Wafers. With a mixer, combine the Cool Whip, cream cheese, pudding mix, milk, and vanilla. Layer a fifth of the crumbs in the bottom of a large, clean sand bucket. Top with a third of the pudding mixture, then a layer of crumbs. Continue layering, ending with crumbs. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

 I think there are candy shells on top of the "sand" in this picture which maybe you can find at a specialty candy store. But it would be perfectly fine with out them.