This is one of those ideas that I’m not sure why it got into my head, but once I had it I had to try it.  I’m SOOOO not sorry.

I’m a big fan of cake pops.  If you haven’t tried making them yet, they’re ridiculously easy.  Making them cute is a whole different story, but tasty is a piece of cake.  (See what I did there?  Ha, ha, ha!  Sorry.)  Anyway, I wondered what it would taste like to layer them in a jar instead of making them into balls.  Here’s where that went.

Bake a cake mix according to the instructions on the box.  If you want to get fancy, go right ahead and make yours from scratch.

Crumble the cake in a mixing bowl and add about 3/4 of a can of frosting.  Again, you’re welcome to go the homemade route, but the fact that I had a can handy won out.

Stir until the cake and frosting are well combined.  Set aside.

I feel like I need to include a disclaimer here.  This is not health food, people.

Anyway, combine one package of Dream Whip, one small box of instant pudding mix and 1 1/2 cups cold milk.

Mix on high until thick and a bit fluffy.  Set this aside as well.

Microwave 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon butter, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted.  Add cream, half-and-half or evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until chocolate is pourable but not runny.

Smoosh about a tablespoon of the cake mixture in the bottom of a jelly jar.

Top that with about the same measure of the pudding.

Drizzle with the chocolate.  I found putting it in a frosting bag helped, although I needed a smaller tip.

For the next layer of cake, press it into a round on a piece of waxed paper, then gently press it into the jar. 

Repeat layers until the jar is full.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  This made 7 jars, but I could have easily stretched it to 8 by filling them a little less.  If you wait until the next day to eat them, the cake and pudding have melded together a bit, and there’s not a thing wrong with that.

These are absolutely rich and decadent…and delicious.  I made this batch with French vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting and vanilla pudding, but I’d love to try some other flavors.  They would also be great made in little shot glasses for a party.  As if I needed an excuse to whip these up again.