Blueberry Fantasia bars

This is a quick and yet decadent dessert that I found on the back of a Lucky Leaf Blueberry Pie Filling jar. I made it and brought it to my cooking club meeting recently and it was a big hit. I love any type of dessert that has a type of cheesecake layer. In addition, coconut has been one of my favorite things lately to work into recipes. So I was interested to try this recipe since it has coconut, nuts, pie filling and cheesecake. You can't go wrong with something like this! This recipe could also be switched up a little by using cherry or some other type of berry pie filling and use some other flavors in the cheesecake, like coconut. I added some lemon extract, which really added some brightness to the dessert.

Serves 12


Ingredients:

• 1 pkg (18 oz.) yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
• 2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp lemon extract (or vanilla or coconut)
• 1 1/2 cup blueberry fruit filling (I used a whole can of filling)
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

• In large bowl, blend cake mix, butter and 1 egg.
• Pat mixture into greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
• Beat cream cheese until fluffy; add in 2 eggs, flavoring and sugar. Pour over cake mixture.
• Spoon fruit filling on top evenly. Sprinkle  with coconut and nuts.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes until lightly browned. (Cheesecake layer should not be too wet/jiggly when testing it.)
• Cool/refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes before cutting.

*Note: the cheesecake layer may be a little soft. You may need to clean the knife after each cut so the cheesecake does not smear all over the other parts. (That's just more for you to taste!)

I also wanted to share that I was one of the bloggers given the Versatile Blogger award by Susie at Earning-My-Cape a few weeks ago (maybe even a little longer- time has been flying by lately). Although I am unable to fulfill all the requirements in accepting that award at this time, I wanted to give her a big THANKYOU!!!! and a tell everyone to check out her blog and show her some blog love. She is just getting started in the blogging world and shares quite a variety of things that she is working on- from various crafts to cooking to information that is useful for our health and families, and basically whatever is happening with her family at that time (like a lot of us do). She is really another sweet person that I have had the privilege to meet since I started blogging. 

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Friday Flair Link Party #19 at Whipperberry