My mother used to love making this easy pineapple sunshine cake in the summertime. It's so cool and refreshing that it never lasts very long!

Ingredients

  • 1 package (9 ounces) yellow cake mix
  • 1-1/2 cups cold milk
  • 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix or 1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese or reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, well drained
  • 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping or reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • 20 maraschino cherries, well drained

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions; pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes or until soft-set.
  3. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in pudding mixture until blended. Spread evenly over cake. Sprinkle with pineapple; spread with whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes; sprinkle with walnuts and cherries before serving.