Amaretto, Cherry & Pistachio Birthday Dessert (aka “Twin’s Delight”)

This may be an unpopular opinion but I don’t really like cake. Listen. Cakes are cute, frosting is my secret boyfriend, and cake batter is easily the greatest flavor on planet earth. Sometimes I eat cake batter and think “my mouth could not possibly be big enough to fit as much of this in it as I feel like I need to right now.” But just a regular, spongey, baked cake is not something I ever really want to eat. I think maybe it’s the frosting to cake ratio. See, I like (sometimes love) cupcakes. And I think that’s because there is a decently high pile of frosting sitting on top of like 4 bites of cake.

So for our birthday the last 9 years, we haven’t had a traditional cake. When we turned 18 we got cake batter ice cream from Coldstone and Lofthouse soft sugar cookies and that was our cake and I still think it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. After that, we’ve kind of just had a random spattering of treats all throughout the day (mainly because we no longer live with a mother who makes sure to get us an official cake). At some point, whether its over pancakes or a milkshake, we get sung to so we’re not missing anything birthday-ish at all, we’re just not eating a sub-par dessert! Although we’d probably be better off if we did…might not justify as many other treats throughout the day…

Regardless, one of my all time favorite desserts of my whole life, and one that many member’s of our family have chosen as their “birthday cake”, is this pistachio pudding layer dessert my mom has made ever since I can remember. In my house we call it “David’s Delight”, I’m actually not sure if that’s because my dad loves it or my older brother loves it (they’re both named David). Well, actually, I do know they both love it (just not sure who it’s named after specifically) as does every other person in my family and every person at every work, church or friend function I’ve ever brought this treat to. It is a hit because IT IS HEAVEN IN YOUR MOUTH.

It may look like a typical potluck-y, old-person-layered-something, but it’s not. It spans the ages and the taste buds and it’s sinfully delightful. This is, truthfully, my favorite home made treat ever.

So in honor of our upcoming birthday (t minus 3 days) I decided to amp up the dessert a teeny bit with two of my other favorite flavors, cherry and amaretto, and rename it “Twin’s Delight”!

Pistachio [pudding] and amaretto are already similar in taste so they blend perfectly in this sweet concoction. The cherry is very subtle and can be left out altogether if you prefer. Or even amp it up more! (Just be sure to add as much powdered sugar as maraschino cherry juice to help the texture remain the same).

1 C flour //
1 C nuts chopped or powdered (almonds or walnuts) //
1 stick butter, room temp //
1/2 tsp almond extract or amaretto liqueur //
1 tub cool whip //
1 C + 2 tbsp powdered sugar //
8 oz cream cheese, room temp //
1 can maraschino cherries
2 pkgs pistachio instant pudding //
3 C milk //

1.Preheat oven to 350.

2. I like to powder my nuts (in my nutribullet) because I hate chunks of nuts in desserts, I think it just really messes with the texture. But! you can just chop yours. Either way you need 1 cup. Mix that with flour, butter and almond extract (or amaretto liqueur) and then press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan.

3. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.

4. With hand mixer beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup whipped cream until blended. Then dice about 10 cherries and add them to the mix along with 2 tbsp cherry juice. Mix again then spread evenly over crust.

5. Put in fridge while you make the next layer.

6. Beat milk and pudding (I always strain my pudding through a fine mesh sieve because, again, I hate chunks of nuts, but this is optional!) for about a minute until slightly thickened but still pourable. Spread out onto cherry layer.

7. Allow to set up in the fridge then spread on remaining whipped topping. Top with more whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles, nuts, whatever you want! Indulge!