INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted 1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar 1 1/2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1 package German Chocolate Cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines Signature line) - and - 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese at room temperature 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted 1 lb (1 box) confectioner's (powdered) sugar DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Grease and flour a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish/pan, preferably Pyrex. 3. In a small pan, melt 1 stick of butter and the brown sugar together. Heat just long enough to get them combined. 4. Evenly spread the butter/sugar mixture on the bottom of the baking dish. 5. In a bowl, mix the coconut and pecans together and sprinkle the mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan (on top of the butter/sugar mixture). 6. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. 7. Pour cake mixture over coconut and pecans. 8. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and melted butter and beat on low with an electric mixer until creamy. 9. Add powdered sugar and beat until blended and smooth. 10. Drop by spoonfuls evenly over cake mixture. 11. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted HALF WAY to the bottom of the cake comes out clean. 12. Allow to cool completely in pan. Cut into individual pieces and turn upside down onto serving plates. MARKS' TIPS: I prefer Duncan Hines Signature cake mixes, but any one will do. It will seem like you have too much of the cream cheese mixture, but you do not - it will cover almost the entire top of the pan - that is okay. When baking, be sure to check and make sure the top isn't burning. I usually "tent" a piece of aluminum foil over the pan around the 35 minute mark and bake it to 45 minutes, but be sure to use the toothpick method as putting the aluminum foil over the cake can extend the baking time required. Actually, I use a long bamboo skewer so I don't have to put my hand all the way inside the oven. Because of the sticky nature of the bottom of the cake, you WILL need to grease (with butter, margarine or Crisco) and flour the bottom of your baking dish. You may also use Pam with Flour spray. I tried this with just using Pam and almost had to chisel the cake out of the pan, but it was still delicious! Also, it doesn't make the best presentation dessert - nothing like a regular German chocolate cake, but no one will care after they take their first bite! I like to re-heat this in the microwave and eat it warm. However, be careful when re-heating - the sugar topping can get very hot and burn your mouth!! If there is any left over, I store it covered in the fridge. Mark McGinness Oklahoma City Revision 20150721 Don't miss St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church's HUGE annual Mediterranean food festival every late October/ early November. Go mark your calendar now and listen to the radio and TV or check their website or call the Church directly for dates & times. Be sure to take the Church tour and see the exquisite Byzantine iconography. Many of the members make delicious desserts like this that are for sale in the "Culinary Cupboard," but they almost sell out the first day, so go early the first day of the festival for the best selection. http://www.stelijahokc.com On Facebook, search for "St. Elijah Annual Food Festival" http://www.antiochian.org http://www.ancientfaith.com 405-755-7804 SE corner of NW 150th and N. May Ave. And don't forget their sister church's festival every September: Greekfest at St. George Greek Orthodox Christian Church West side of N. Pennsylvania Ave. at NW 145th St. http://www.saintgeorgeokc.org/ http://greekfestokc.com/ http://www.goarch.org 405-751-1885 For great Mediterranean food like you get at the festival, eat at Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe and Market on westbound Memorial, 1/4 mile west of the May intersection. Nunu is a member of St. Elijah's as are most of the employees and I used to cook there - tell them I sent you. Warning - if you go during peak hours you'll have a good wait because the place is very popular. Saturdays are always busy and they are closed on Sunday. Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-8pm, closed Sunday.