The Domestic Rebel

Everyday Ingredients, Extraordinary Desserts

Cookies ‘N Cream Cake Batter Bars

by | 53 Comments

cookies & cream cake batter bars

I’m baaaaack!

And before I dive into my usual crazy/sugary shenanigans, I just wanted to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who commented, emailed and texted me this last week, giving me words of encouragement, sending me prayers and good thoughts, and who made me feel SO loved and supported during my personal post. Taking a little time off to readjust to my new dosage and take life in one day at a time helped immensely. And I can’t thank you enough for your loyalty, friendship and patience during this time. ((HUGS))

Okay. Back to normalcy. Or something like that.

It’s no surprise I’m kiiiindof a nosy person. I like hearing things about people’s lives and asking them questions and whatnot. In a nicer world, people would call me ‘inquisitive’ rather than a ‘voyeur’ or my mom’s term, ‘nosy’.

Anyway, as of late I have been obsessed with asking people — seriously, almost ANYONE (it’s only slightly embarrassing when I later think that I asked the cashier at Target this question)–who is your ‘free pass’? As in, if this person showed up on your doorstep rightthissecond, you’d have to tell your boyfriend/girlfriend/hubby/wife/FWB “Sorry, but _____ is my free pass. And I promise I’ll put in a good word with your free pass so you won’t be alone and stuff while I spend the rest of my life with this magical celebrity/person of my liking.”

I know my mom goes bonkers for Bradley Cooper, and I have friends who would drop everything and willingly forget their former lives and flames should Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp appear.

I’m sorry Bradley, Johnny, Brad… I would pass on you if it meant I could forever be with the beauty that is Jennifer Lawrence.

Seriously. Is that woman real life? She’s like perfect. And lately I haven’t been the slightest bit worried that I’m kind of being creepy by professing my love for her so openly. I mean, maaaaaybe the magical powers of love will carry my words the distance from here to Los Angeles and whisper ever so softly into her ear, “you’re awesome and I heart you. And I promise I’m not a serial killer.” E.g, every words a woman longs to hear from a stranger.

Anyways, I know that’d like never happen because I have really bad luck. Case in point: as a kid, I was totally in love with the TV show Figure It Out with Summer Sanders, and I was DESPERATE to get on the show. So I’d enter and enter and try soooo hard to be a contestant but realized I didn’t have any legit talents that would be worthy of television. I don’t know which is more sad: a young child who was woefully talentless, or the fact that I will die having never been slimed. Obvi it’s the latter.

So instead, I will read Silver Linings Playbook and obsess over J.Law’s Golden Globe dress and stuff my face with birthday cake bars. I’m pretty sure in a perfect world, Jennifer would go coo-coo for my Cookies ‘n Cream Cake Batter Bars. I mean, the two of them basically share the same magic.

cookies & cream cake batter barsThese bars are for cake batter lovers everywhere. And cookie lovers. And sprinkle lovers. AKA, awesome people who have good taste. They’re chewy, rich, buttery and super sugary, thanks to being fully loaded with sprinkles (more is better), white chocolate chips, crushed Oreo cookies, and my personal fave, Circus Animal Cookies. And after Circus Animal Cookie Week was such a success last year, I figured I needed to incorporate these cheery pink & white animal cookies into more goodies for you guys! These bars were no exception.

close-up of cookies & cream cake batter barsYou’ll have to taste for yourself, but I’m pretty sure the deliciousness level is a Ryan Gosling.

close-up of cookies & cream cake batter barsCookies ‘n Cream Cake Batter Bars *inspired by my dear friend Sally, whose love for sprinkles knows no bounds, and who is an awesome source of inspiration and smiles!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Print
Cookies 'N Cream Cake Batter Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12-15
 
No. Words. Just make 'em, friends.
Ingredients
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp butter extract or emulsion
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup rainbow sprinkles
  • ⅔ cup white chocolate chips
  • ½ - ¾ cup Oreo cookies, coarsely crushed
  • ½ - ¾ cup Circus Animal Cookies, coarsely crushed
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, eggs, butter extract and vanilla extract with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Stir in the rainbow sprinkles, white chips and coarsely crushed cookies until lightly combined.
  3. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and bake until center is set and is slightly golden, about 17-20 minutes (mine finished at about the 18 minute mark). Cool completely before cutting into bars. Store airtight, at room temperature, several days. These also freeze pretty well, too!
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

cookies & cream cake batter barsOkay, so lemme give you a quick lowdown, folks: the butter extract combined with the vanilla (or per Sally’s recommendation: almond extract) creates a delightful, authentic “cake batter” flavor. While yes, using a box of cake mix as a base will definitely ramp up that cake batter flavor, adding an additional splash of butter and vanilla (or almond) will just deepen and enhance that deliciously rich flavor reminiscent of cake and frosting. And the add-ins are just phenom!! You’ll heart these bars, I promise.

Have a fantastical Tuesday!!

xo, Hayley

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Comments

  2. Ahahahaaaaaaa omg I love you. Jennifer Lawrence IS pretty awesome. Michael and I don’t believe in free passes (the fact that someday-hopefully-I would be working in that world makes it a pretty awful idea for one thing lol) but if I did hmmmm I’m not sure who I’d give it to? I tend to love the characters more than the actors themselves. IE I’d want Dean, not Jensen Ackles. Jess, not Milo Ventimiglia. Channing Tatum can just be Channing Tatum though. 😛

    Reply

  3. Welcome back Hayley!!! These bars look so festive and happy!! Hopefully reflecting your sweetness and heart girlfriend! As for free pass? I don’t think we’ve ever discussed it. But I kinda google over Bradley cooper and George clooney (I’m old, don’t judge 🙂 Oh, and Spike Mendelsohn, you know, since we talked on the phone and all!!!

    Reply

  4. Welcome back Hayley!! You came back with a bang! These exploded with color and flavor! Those animal cookies are truly my favorite secret! As for a free pass, hmmm, I’d have to go with Bradley Cooper. It used to be Johnny Depp, but I’m so over him. Can’t wait for more Domestic goodness!

    Reply

  5. Welcome back, Hayley! J. Law is pretty phenomenal. I almost watched House at the End of the Street just because she was in it. Almost 😉

    These bars look so fun and yummy!

    Reply

  7. Ohmigosh it’s a book too??? I must read it. I want to see the movie so bad. And I heart her too! And you, especially because you’re bringing me some of these…right?

    Reply

  8. I’ve been meaning to try something with the cake batter flavor and these look so colorful and amazing. As for free passes, I would have to say Zac Efron, even though I could probably be his mother, well, maybe just his older sister….maybe! Haha! Have a great Tuesday!

    Reply

  10. a) I’m glad you’re feeling better. Health and happiness always come first.
    b) These bars make me want to have a party. A party where I eat these bars while surrounded by confetti and streamers.
    c)There was an entire Circus Animal Cookie Week!?! I would have taken off of work to properly celebrate. I hope another one is coming soon.
    d) Fact: you can not get Circus Animal Cookies in Canada. THAT was a dark four days my friend.

    Reply

  12. so glad to see such a bright and spirited, happy recipe today here Hayley! Hopefully it’s reflecting YOU! I’m so glad you made my blondies. You know I’m in love with every single form of sprinkles and cake batter. I’m glad you love butter extract as well – I swear by it recently.

    Reply

  14. You had me at “Ryan Gosling”. Lord he is most definitely my free pass. But until he shows up spouting “hey girl” quotes for me, I will also be stuffing my face with these bars. They are SO pretty and look so delicious ! 😀

    Jess @ On Sugar Mountain

    Reply

    • Hi Dara! Butter extract is similar to vanilla extract in that it adds a deep, buttery flavor to baked goods when you use it. You can find it next to the vanilla extract in grocery stores 🙂 and if you can get your hands on butter emulsion, even better! Emulsions are more concentrated than extracts.

      Reply

  16. I’m so glad you’re back! And as for these…I’m in love with anything cake batter AND anything cookies ‘n cream, so…these are like heaven. I don’t know if I have a “free pass”….but I ALWAYS drool over Mila Kunis, I’m not gonna lie.

    Reply

  18. I am so excited to see you back and posting bright cheery sprinkle goodness!!! So cake batter, Oreos, and animal cookies…sounds awesomesauce!!!! My free pass would have to be Jason Priestly or Ryan Reynolds…gaa gaa for both! LOL!

    Reply

  21. Welcome back! & because I’ve been such a bad blog reader friend lately, I literally just read your other post like 5 minutes ago. So by my clock, you’re back like freakishly fast haha. These look amazeballs…. I love all things circus animal cookie. My free pass…. hmmm… I’m kinda obsessed with Adam Levine lately. The guitar & tats get me with him

    Reply

  23. Oh wow, Hayley, these look wonderful! I just bought a box of Funfetti and was looking for a recipe for a work potluck…I think engineers need more sprinkles. So these will be great. 😀 I’m glad to hear you are doing better, and it’s great to have you back!

    Reply

  27. yay!!! welcome back!! so thrilled that everything went well 🙂 what a great way to celebrate your first day back with these delicious and festive looking bars!!

    Reply

  32. Ok, so first of all…I absolutely LOVE the fact that you have a girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence. Because if I could pick one celebrity to be my absolute best friend for life, it would be her. She’s just perfect in every single way. I’ve been looking for a place to ramble on and on about her without people thinking I’m crazy. I found your recipe on Pinterest, and I’m glad I did. Not only did I get to vent about my girl crush, but I also love this recipe. Thank you, thank you, and thank you again. 🙂

    Reply

  33. I made these and my co-workers inhaled them. They couldn’t stop telling me how good they were. I’ve got a batch in the oven right now for my grandson’s first birthday party. These bars scream celebration!

    Reply

  34. I made these & added mini-marshmallows. Huge hit! Thanks for the recipe — these are almost too pretty to eat. 🙂

    Reply

  35. I made these for a family get together this weekend and they were a hit! They disappeared so quickly I didn’t get much…I think I need to make them again 🙂 I love how fun and colorful they are…and how EASY and QUICK they were to make. Thanks for another fantastic recipe!

    Reply

Trackbacks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

Archives

Categories