I’m currently in the midst of a serious dilemma.
It runs deep and is causing a definite riff between my family and I. And possibly soon, society and I.
You see.. I have a problem. A problem sometimes frowned upon by people of either gender, except for those who can appreciate and understand my problem for what its worth.
I have a problem…with guy cologne.
You see, as a person who blows through a bottle of perfume a week and as a person who hoards body sprays in within a foot-radius of anywhere around her, you could say I know a little thing or two about perfume. I couldn’t live without it, because if it didn’t exist, I’d likely smell like soup and thus my life would collapse upon itself since smelling like soup is my number one fear, right above monkeys and long-haired, mandal-wearing men with wire-rimmed glasses. It’s just not okay, you know?
But I have some issues with ladies perfume. It all smells THE SAAAAAME. And by ‘same’, I mean it smells like either some form of a baked good and/or musky creature (read: instamigraine), or like flowers which, call me crazy, smell better as actual flowers than as perfume. And I’m not really a vanilla/musk/gardenia kinda girl.
(On a side note: gardenias smell AWFUL. My mom loves them, so I try to please her with them occasionally, but omg, they smell rotten to me. And one time we got her a gardenia bubble bath and it smelled like mustard. Every time she used it, the smell of French’s wafted throughout the house. Thankfully, I like mustard, but I do not like gardenia-mustard, so it was kind of hard to get used to this).
So I have a few girlie favorites, but really, I LOVE me some cologne. It just smells so sophisticated, and who doesn’t want to smell like a chic male model? I know I do, since there are far worse things to smell like (like soup. or gardenia-mustard).
A couple days ago, my brother gave me the arduous task of buying him a new bottle of Old Spice body wash. I spent a good portion of my shopping time in the bath aisle huffing bottle after bottle of the stuff. IT SMELLED SO GOOD. I ended up buying him this new flavor with foxes on the front, and I must say, if foxes smell like this in real life, I am going to be a fox hoarder. Stuff smells BAWWWMB. I also fell in love with this one that has a hawk on it and smells like the chicest male you ever did see. Determined to smell good, I bought it for myself.
When I emerged from the most sophisticated smelling shower in the history of the world, my brother asked me if I had used his body wash. I explained that I had, in fact, used a MALE body wash, but not his, because mine has the hawk on the front and he has the fox one. He picked up the bottle and said “you’re using guy body wash? Isn’t that weird?” and I had to have a long heart-to-heart with him about how hard it is to be a girl in this world full of weird-smelling floral perfumes and if he was open-minded in allowing women wear men’s cologne, the world would be a better place.
Needless to say, my family asks me daily where I came from. My enlightening girl-cologne-conversation didn’t go over as well as I’d hoped. But that’s okay because I made Twinkies, and the world was realigned once more.
Since Hostess took a nosedive, I’ve been thinking about Twinkies more lately. Like using them in truffles or shortcake… you know, normal things. And it dawned on me that making an actual Twinkie was probably pretty easy, and then, switching up that classic pound cake-and-cream flavor for something a little different would be just as simple. So I did that, and took a kid-friendly PB&J and stuffed it into a Twinkie.
Best idea since smelling like a chic male.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Twinkies *Twinkie base recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
- 1 box Betty Crocker pound cake mix
- 4 egg whites
- ⅔ cup water
- About ⅔ cup jam (I used strawberry, but any flavor works)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp cream or milk
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Liberally grease a cream canoe pan, or make your own Twinkie molds! Here's how: Take an approx. 12" sheet of aluminum foil and fold it in half lengthwise. Place a spice bottle in the center of the foil horizontally. Gently fold one long end of the foil around the spice bottle, then roll and tuck the ends up to create a small "canoe." Remove the bottle and place the canoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Make about 8-10, depending on how puffy you want your Twinkies. Make sure to grease the makeshift Twinkie canoes with cooking spray!!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. While the egg whites are beating, combine the pound cake mix + the water. Gently fold in ½ of the whipped egg white mixture to combine, then gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites.
- Carefully spoon the batter evenly among the canoe pan/foil canoes, about ½-2/3 full. Bake for approx. 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes for about 10 minutes before carefully removing the foil and turning the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. The foil will be hot, so don't burn yourself!
- Once the cakes are cooled, flip them over so you have the flat side face-up. Take a toothpick and make three small holes in a line in the center of the Twinkie. Use the toothpick to quickly "dig" the crumbs out of each hole so it's about the size of your fingertip (I actually used my fingertip to help clrea out some of the crumbs, but be careful not to completely puncture your finger through the Twinkie!)
- Place the jam in a piping bag attached with a small circle tip (I used Wilton 6). Stick the piping bag into the hole and gently pipe the jam into the Twinkie's cavities. Allow the jam to set in the Twinkies by placing them upside down (or jam-side up) for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter + peanut butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the powdered sugar and cream until a thick glaze has formed. Dip the tops of the Twinkies into the peanut butter glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Repeat with remaining Twinkies. Allow the glaze to set, about 20 minutes, before serving. These are best served the same day but can be stored airtight, at room temperature, for a couple days.
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There’s something continually comforting in eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. It’s the quintessential kid food, and when those flavors pair up with a Twinkie, it makes one delicious snack! The peanut butter glaze on top remains softer even the next day, giving that creamy texture we all love from peanut butter. And the jelly filling is surprising and sweet, tasting like a canoe-shaped PBJ sammy. I really loved these, and I know your kids will, too!
Happy Baking!
xo, Hayley
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Caley says
I know exactly what you mean, Hayley, and I feel the same way about perfume smells (plus candles, actually). The food-ish ones are actually okay with me (vanilla or whatever), but the ‘flowery’ ones are never any good, and the fruit ones tend to be so overpowering! The only scent I like and wear, really, is Dark Kiss from Bath and Body Works. I have NO idea what it is supposed to smell like, but it’s good, whatever it is. 😉 And just so you know, there are actually studies out there that women like men’s scents better than women’s, and men like women’s scents better than men’s. It makes sense, really, since that is what we are attracted to. About the recipe…LOVE IT! Peanut butter and jelly is always delicious, and this looks great!
The Domestic Rebel says
I guess it does make sense, Caley! I mean, some perfumes smell AWESOME (I am obsessed with Philosophy’s Pure Grace and Body by Victoria’s Secret), but otherwise I’m alllll about the cologne!
peanutbutterandonion says
These look awesome… what a neat idea!
cookingactress says
I think we all dream of smelling like chic male models.
The Domestic Rebel says
Now if I could just look as beautiful as that man from Bergdorf’s who did our makeup…
cookingactress says
ahahaaaaa yessss
crazyforcrust says
I love guy body wash – it smells amazing! I’d bathe in it too. And I’d bathe in these twinkies…wait, is that TMI?
The Domestic Rebel says
Not at all. 🙂
Kelly @ Hidden Fruits and Veggies says
Men’s scents are made to attract women (and vice versa) so it only makes sense to prefer men’s varieties 🙂
I’m not too upset about Twinkies, they containd lard so I could never eat them anyway (though there is an offbrand.. golden clouds? cloud cremes? something like that). I’m happy for yoru homemade version! Homemade always always = better
ashley says
You are just so awesome haha I can’t believe the ideas you come up with sometimes!
A Sweet Baker says
Loving the men’s scent too – but on a hot, gorgeous man. Not on myself! But to each their own 🙂 Love these Twinkies, however. I’m sure they smell mighty fine!
noyomoco says
I love your story. I love the smell of my husband’s deodorant – it smells so much better than the girly kind!
The Domestic Rebel says
Right?!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl says
OMG, I can’t believe you made PB&J twinkies! I need to make this for Doodle–he is seriously into anything PB&J right now. 🙂
And while I do like the girlie baked-goods perfumes…I wore men’s cologne from Abercrombie and Fitch my entire senior year of high school. I’m weird??
Ellen@BakeItWithBooze says
I’ll be making a boozy version of the twinkie sometime…These look great! And, I have the pan if you ever need it. I mean, how many times will I use that pan? It needs more use! 🙂
Sally says
Truth: I have worn Kevin’s old spice before because I love the smell of it so much. It’s like crack or something. Can’t get enough. I hate girlie perfumes! Hurt my nose.
PS: love these twinkies!!
bakerbynature says
Hey girl… so I’m going to need you to fly back to NYC and make me some twinkies, please!
The Domestic Rebel says
Done and done.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
PB & J in a twinkie…where do I begin 🙂 I bought a twinkie pan about 2 yrs ago and used it once and actually just came across it again last week. I should dust it off. These look so loaded with richness and all things wonderful!
The Domestic Rebel says
You should! I need to order one of those pans stat!
Nat D. says
I love Men’s Body Wash. And I wear Axe Deodorant…so ya…
The Domestic Rebel says
Totally normal, girl.
Mimi @ Culinary Couture says
You are my spirit sister! I am obsessed with men’s cologne, literally OBSESSED! My brother has the Old Spice body wash and I’ve definitely used it a couple times–but he uses my shampoo so it’s all good 🙂
The Domestic Rebel says
See? It’s a total trade-off. Let’s go shopping, spirit sister.
Dinnersdishesdessert (@Dinnersdishes) says
I pretty much stay away from perfume and scented things because I don’t want to smell like a flower. Maybe I need to try the guy’s stuff, because I always like the way they smell!
Love the Twinkies, what a fun idea!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
My kids would flip over these. I bought a twinkie pan last year and have not yet used it. DOH, guess I better pull that out!!!
Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking says
Totally agree about the perfumes! Especially when you go to a dept. store or Sephora to sample them on the little paper strip… they all smell the SAME (and awful, at that)! I’m always begging my hubby to wear more cologne!
Nicole @ youngbrokeandhungry says
Girl perfume makes me nauseated but cologne is the biggest turn on for me. And these twinkies are making me wish my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches where aways served this way.
Stephanie @ Macaroni and Cheesecake says
I don’t love flowery scents either, I prefer the kind that smells like cake!:) And I do have to admit my husband’s old spice body wash does smell really good;) These twinkies have me drooling!! You are so creative girl! Sharing these on fbook and pinning right away!!
dishing up the dirt says
If the scent of fresh onions on a woman is sexy then I think I’m alright. However, I’m not sure that is totally the case. I’m the odd ball out and don’t wear perfume. However, one of these twinkles is right up my alley 🙂
Heather @ French Press says
flower perfume makes me sick – SERIOUS migraine – these twinkies ROCK – LOVE the PB & J twist
Roxana GreenGirl (@RoxanaGreenGirl) says
Twinkies were (well probably still are) one of hubby’s favorite sweet treat and the same goes for peanut butter and jelly. if I make these for him he’ll ask me to marry him again.
Regina says
Haha…I had to by deodorant for my husband today. Of course I had to smell them ALL before I made a decision. I also remember from gym class in high school that one girl always used male deodorant. She also said she just didn’t like any of the girly fragrances 🙂
Tiffany says
First of all, I use Degree for men deodorant on the reg. Because lady stuff always ends up smelling like a weird powdery damp baby.
And second! I have 2 perfumes that you might love…maybe.
dolce and gabbana did a unisex line of like six scents inspired by tarot cards. #6 and #18 are my favorites.
And Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. So good, I don’t never know if I wanna wear it, smoke it, or eat it. That’s a sigh of a sexy perfume!
Tiffany says
Ps…was that English? Teaches me not to be commenting after 11pm! :/
The Domestic Rebel says
You’re good! I understood. Sounds like I need to get my hands on Tom Ford’s perfume!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
Um, I love this idea of making your own twinkies! And you can never go wrong with PB&J!
snookiescakes says
I think I’m in love with you.
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says
I say wear that cologne girl! You have to do what makes you happy!
Nicole @ The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie says
What the what?!! YOU SLAY ME. PB and J twinkies?! Ugh.
Totally understand the man smell thing – my husband uses old spice sport deodorant and I happen to really like the smell… probably TMI but I have been known to wear it when I run out of mine hehe
And I get migraines really easily and perfume has always been a trigger for me. Some of these ladies smell like they dropped the entire bottle on themselves! But the literal worst for me is the smell of “pear” scented things – it always smells like beer to me!
Heather @ Sugar Dish Me says
Why are you so smart?
Love twinkies.
Love peanut butter and jelly.
But I actually really love lotion that makes me smell like food. It makes me wanna eat my arm off all day.
KK from Tickled Pink Patisserie says
I’m still giggling about “make-shift Twinkie canoes”.
Great post.