Cake | The Domestic Rebel

Butter Pecan Layer Cake

September 5, 2017 2 Comments

Three towering layers of moist and fluffy Butter Pecan Cake with an irresistible cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans!

So admittedly, I am not a layer cake person. I LOVE eating layer cakes, but I do not like making them.

This probably stems back to a time long ago when I took a cake decorating class at a local Michael’s and failed miserably. Like, I was so bad and everyone was surpassing me with their gorgeous wedding-style cakes that I dropped out just before we learned how to make frosting roses.

Plus, layer cakes are usually very fussy, and fussy I am not. There’s the cake leveling crap, fondant garbage, and crumb coats, which I interpret to mean “time suck.”

But – BUT! This Butter Pecan Layer Cake is no time suck, does not require fondant, and naturally bakes pretty flat so the cake leveling – if any – is very minimal. I promise that if I can do it, you can most definitely knock this recipe out of the park. I believe in you.

This cake is made entirely from scratch and features a buttery, moist cake layer studded with toasted pecans which imparts such a wonderful flavor. Toasting the pecans really makes a difference, so don’t skip this step!

Each layer and the entire shebang is coated in a fluffy cream cheese frosting which gives the cake a nice, light tanginess which tastes great with the sweetness of the buttery cake flavor. You could totally use buttercream, but I tend to choose cream cheese over buttercream.

Not only is this cake tasty, it’s impressive, too! I am going to go out on a limb here and say it would be show-stopping for Thanksgiving dinner, so bookmark it when you’re ready to make your Thanksgiving menu plans.

Now get to baking, and thank me later!

*adapted from Taste of Home

5.0 from 1 reviews

Butter Pecan Layer Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 8-10

This Butter Pecan Layer Cake is so flavorful and ridiculously tasty! Perfect for any event, but this would be quite special for holidays!

Ingredients

FOR THE TOASTED PECANS:
3 cups chopped pecans
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE CAKE:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp butter extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
FOR THE FROSTING:
1 cup butter (either salted or unsalted - I used salted), softened
10 ounces (one 8-ounce brick plus 2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
5-6 cups confectioners' sugar
¼ cup milk or heavy cream, if needed

Instructions

First, toast your pecans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss together the chopped pecans and melted butter and spread out evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the nuts for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn. They should smell nutty and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool the pecans until cool to the touch. Meanwhile, grease three 9" round baking pans and line with parchment rounds.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla and butter extracts. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add in the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Finish with the buttermilk.
Fold in 1 & ¾ cups of the toasted pecans. Pour evenly among the pans. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely and if cakes are too domed on top, use a serrated knife to gently remove the dome.
To make your frosting: In another bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together with the paddle attachment until creamy and combined, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition until frosting is light and fluffy. Only use the heavy cream/milk if frosting becomes too thick or pasty, nothing that you may not need it.
To assemble: place a cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread with some of the frosting and top with another cake layer. Repeat. Once your layers are assembled, frost the outside of the cake as best as you can, until smooth. Sprinkle the remaining toasted pecans around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Serve!

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

This Butter Pecan Layer Cake is as tasty as it is pretty! Three towering layers of moist buttery, toasted pecan cake with a delicious cream cheese frosting. Easy, impressive and SCRUMPTIOUS!

Buttery, nutty, flavorful cake layers with a phenomenal cream cheese frosting you’ve just got to try!

Have a super sweet day!

Want more pecan goodness?

Peach & Pecan Layer Cake with Bourbon Caramel

Pecan Praline Blondies

Pecan Praline Pie Bark

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Everything!, Holiday

The BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake

August 16, 2017 3 Comments

A retro recipe that’s here to stay: this Pineapple Upside Down Cake is AMAZING. So supremely moist and soft, with a caramelized pineapple and maraschino cherry topping, it’s perfect for get-togethers, BBQs, potlucks, and any occasion!

You guys – this cake!

I’ve been tinkering around with pineapple upside down cake recipes lately and I had yet to find one I liked. For some, the cake was a little too dry – others, there wasn’t enough pineapple flavor or general pizzazz. I even found one recipe on the internet using dried cranberries in place of the maraschino cherries which is a crime against humanity and threatens the welfare of the world. Yeah, they’re neon red and full of sugar, but maraschino cherries are essential for this cake!

But after some trial and error – and pawning the guinea pig cakes to my apartment complex’s front office – I have found The One. And like when you find your human soulmate, I found my cake soulmate and this is it.

The cake part of this phenomenal piece of heaven is so supremely moist, fluffy and soft with a hint of pineapple flavor. The topping/bottom of the cake is just perfect: gooey, caramelized brown sugary pineapple slices and juicy cherries. The only thing that may be missing from this cake is a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just sayin’.

Whatever you do, promise me you’ll make this cake and love me forever?

5.0 from 1 reviews

The BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 8-10

This Pineapple Upside Down Cake is the BEST recipe I've made and tried! The cake itself is moist, soft and tender with a fresh pineapple flavor, and the topping consists of caramelized pineapples and maraschino cherries for ample flavor!

Ingredients

FOR THE TOPPING:
¼ cup salted butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
5-7 pineapple rings, drained and juice reserved
Maraschino cherries (without stems)
FOR THE CAKE:
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 & ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
½ cup milk
¼ cup pineapple juice

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9" round cake pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar and pour the mixture into the bottom of the cake pan, spreading it out evenly. Arrange the pineapple rings around the pan and place maraschino cherries in between. Set aside briefly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the oil and granulated sugar until moistened. Beat in the egg, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the sour cream. Gradually add some of the milk, alternating with the flour until a soft batter comes together. Gently beat in the pineapple juice last.
Carefully pour the batter over the pineapples in the pan, careful not to disturb their placement. Bake for approx. 40-45 minutes or until the cake appears set, is light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool for 10-15 minutes, then very carefully invert the cake onto a platter or plate. Serve warm or room temperature.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

This is the BEST recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake EVER! Supremely moist, soft and tender pineapple-infused cake topped with a caramelized brown sugar & butter sauce, softened pineapples and juicy cherries. So easy, impressive, and TASTY!

I made this cake a couple weeks ago and I have had an actual dream about it since then – it’s that good.

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Caramel, Everything!

Raspberry Lemonade Pound Cake

August 3, 2017 4 Comments

This Raspberry Lemonade Pound Cake is so supremely moist and tender with a bright & zesty lemon flavor and a tart raspberry-flavored ribbon swirled throughout!

Summer is in full-swing and I am officially craving all of the lemon desserts! Between lemon bars or lemon icebox cake, I just cannot get enough of the citrus stuff. And I’m not the only one – my lemon desserts are going crazy on my blog lately! Y’all have good taste J

As a brand ambassador for Krusteaz, I was so excited when they sent me their Meyer Lemon Pound Cake Mix because I hadn’t tried it yet! You guys – I made one in the morning one day and it was gone by nighttime. It was SO fabulous and versatile – I ate the first few slices as-is with the provided glaze, and by night I had cubed up the rest and mixed it with pudding and fresh berries for a little trifle. So dang good!

This recipe, however, may be my new favorite way to indulge in pound cake: this Raspberry Lemonade Pound Cake is so flavorful and perfect, I have no doubt it’ll be your new fave, too!

The pound cake is ultra tender with a nice, moist crumb and is bursting with delicious Meyer lemon flavor. Then I went and added in a raspberry swirl which takes the pound cake over the top. It couldn’t be easier: simply grind up some freeze-dried raspberries in the blender or food processor and stir the raspberry powder into about ¼ cup of the prepared pound cake batter. Not only will the raspberry powder flavor the pound cake with the sweet and tart flavor of raspberries, but it will turn the swirls a gorgeous magenta color. Win-win!

The result is easily one of the best pound cakes I’ve ever tasted – and I consider myself an aficionado on the subject.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE!

Be sure to check out Krusteaz on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Everything!, Lemon

Peach & Pecan Crumb Cake with Homemade Bourbon Caramel

August 1, 2017 1 Comment

This scratch-made Peach & Pecan Crumb Cake is a moist and fluffy cake filled with fresh, juicy peaches and topped with a sky-high layer of pecan streusel! But to make it even better, it’s drizzled with a Homemade Bourbon Caramel!

I know it’s only August 1st and I’ve clearly got my undies in a twist, but I am already thinking about fall. Don’t shoot me or sue me or cause me bodily harm because I promise when September comes around, you’ll be thanking my pumpkinhead for the recipes coming.

This recipe today reminds me of an entrance-into-fall-ish-weather-ish-recipe. AKA, a recipe that reminds me of back-to-school season, if back-to-school season also had a menu that corresponds with it. I’m not making sense am I? Blame the bourbon caramel.

What I’m trying to say is: it reminds me of a late summer recipe, and to me, August is getting to be late-summer. It’s still lazy and hot, but stores are putting out light jackets and boots, and there are far fewer children out during the day when I go shopping because they’re all back in school and not crowding the mall. #bitteroldlady

Plus, in California, peaches are good until late September, so it’s still peach season and therefore, this recipe fits perfectly for the new month of August.

If you’ve read my blog for a bit, you’d know peaches aren’t my favorite. Actually, most stone-fruits are not. I really dislike plums and apricots, and don’t get me started on hybrids like pluouts which just make me shiver involuntarily. I do like nectarines, which people say are like peaches without the fuzz, but I dislike peaches. I already know I’m weird; I can smell colors and I like nectarines but not peaches. Welcome to my life.

BUT! I have to say: I loved this cake. And if you love peaches already, you will flip over this cake. I promise! It’s a buttery, tender and moist cake base with fresh, juicy peach chunks swirled throughout and a little splash of bourbon in the batter. NOTE: this cake has far more crumb topping than cake, and that’s the way it should be according to law in all 50 states.

The streusel consists of huge brown sugary crumbs mixed with some chopped pecans for flavor and crunch. The crumb does kind of weigh the cake down in the middle, and you’ll notice kind of a dip in the center of the cake when it’s cooling – this is okay, do not be alarmed. It will still taste delicious, obvi.

But because I am so over-the-top and out-of-control, etc., I had to make something to complete this cake, and naturally, Homemade Bourbon Caramel seemed like the perfect addition. NOTE: you can really taste the bourbon flavor in the caramel. Don’t ask me if your kids can have it, as I am not a scientist and cannot say for certain if the bourbon cooks down enough that your kid won’t get trashed on caramel sauce. But there is bourbon in the caramel, and you can taste it. I doubt I’ll receive any complaints.

Lemme just say that caramel + bourbon + peaches + pecans belong together in one loving, delicious, polyamorous relationship from this point forward. One taste and you’ll agree!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get drunk off of the remaining bourbon caramel in my fridge. #winning

Peach & Pecan Crumb Cake with Homemade Bourbon Caramel

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 8-10

This Peach and Pecan Crumb Cake is a moist and fluffy cake swirled with fresh peach chunks and topped with a heavy hand of pecan streusel! But the bourbon caramel sauce MAKES the cake!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUMB:
2 cups brown sugar
2 & ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
FOR THE CAKE:
¾ cup butter, softened (if using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp bourbon
1 cup full-fat sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 & ¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups chopped and peeled peaches (about 2 medium-large peaches. You can use frozen, but thaw and pat dry first)
FOR THE CARAMEL:
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp corn syrup
5 Tbsp butter
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp bourbon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9" round springform pan. Place a parchment round in the bottom of the pan, then liberally grease the parchment round and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
First, make your crumb: in a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, melted butter, and chopped pecans. Mixture will come together and be somewhat clumpy. Set aside.
To make your cake batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until soft and pale, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract and bourbon. Add in the sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, then gradually add in the flour until a soft batter comes together. Stir in the chopped peaches. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Drop heaping handfuls of crumbs evenly over the cake. There is a LOT of crumb mixture, but use it all!
Place the springform pan on a baking sheet to catch drips, and bake for approx. 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely.
While the cake bakes and/or cools, make your bourbon caramel. In a medium saucepan (make sure your saucepan is bigger than you think you'll need) over medium-high heat, add the granulated sugar, corn syrup and water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stirring occasionally to prevent burning until the mixture turns deep amber in color. Pay attention* because this happens VERY quickly - within 5-7 minutes - and can go from deep amber to burnt in seconds.
Once the mixture is amber colored, pull from the heat and add in the butter, noting that the butter will cause the mixture to spit and bubble up, so use caution. Whisk in the butter, followed by the heavy cream and bourbon, which will cause the mixture to also bubble violently. Bring the caramel back onto medium heat and cook until boiling, about 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.
Let the bourbon caramel cool in a mason jar or pourable container until ready to use. Store leftover caramel in the fridge, sealed, up to 2 weeks.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

This Peach Pecan Crumb Cake with Bourbon Caramel is such a show-stopping dessert! A moist, fluffy vanilla cake studded with fresh, juicy peaches and topped with a sky-high pecan and brown sugar streusel! But the homemade bourbon caramel sauce sends it OVER the top!

If nothing else, you have got to try that bourbon caramel sauce on ice cream sundaes or drizzled over cake. It is PHENOMENAL!! Combined with the fresh, juicy peaches and crunchy, salty pecans, this cake is HEAVEN!

Love crumb cake? Check out my other flavors!

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Cranberry Walnut Crumb Cake

Lemon Almond Crumb Cake

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Breakfast, Cake, Caramel, Everything!

Slutty Brownie Cookie Dough Cake

July 5, 2017 4 Comments

This Slutty Brownie Cookie Dough Cake combines the Pinterest-favorite dessert into a layer cake filled with cookie dough! Irresistible, utterly decadent, and super delicious!

So yesterday, yours truly was on the Hallmark Channel’s show, Home & Family… did you catch it?

I wore a bomb pop-printed dress and made a cobbler pie from my latest cookbook, Two in One Desserts, and I got to meet Dean Cain, Donna Mills, and Fabio Viviani (as well as Mark and Debbie, the gracious and so-sweet hosts of H&F).

I had flown down to Los Angeles last Thursday and went on the Universal Studios backlot on Friday to film. It was so amazing being on the backlot where they film TV shows and movies. The Home and Family set is sandwiched between an old, abandoned western movie set with ramshackle saloons and buildings. And once I met my producer, she took me to my own private trailer.

WHAT!?!

It even had a private bathroom! And a mini-fridge stocked with Diet Coke! And air conditioning! And I didn’t have to share it with Dean Cain or Donna Mills or Fabio or anyone else! Is this what celebrity is like? If so, I’m enjoying the celeb life so far.

Anyway, when I was a kid I used to dream about writing novels… but I also dreamed about being on TV and how cool it would be. And you guys, it’s pretty freakin’ cool! Live TV seems scary but I think I have it down by now, and I love knowing that my readers are watching at home and cheering me on – that makes it a lot less scary 🙂 And now I’m going to be on a local TV show today, and I’m up to my eyeballs in treats but thankful for the opportunity to spread The Domestic Rebel word!

And today, I’m spreading the word about this Slutty Brownie Cookie Dough Cake. You’ve heard of slutty brownies, right? Now before you come wagging your finger at me and scold me about slut-shaming chocolate desserts, I did not come up with the name. Slutty Brownies are basically brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and Oreos mixed together into one outrageous bar, but I took it one step further, natch.

This cake consists of two fudge brownie “cake” layers sandwiched around chocolate chip and Oreo cookie dough, covered in chocolate ganache and topped sky-high with chopped brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and Oreo cookies. And I know out there in the Internet land someone will come on this page, comment “too sweet” and I will roll my eyes so fast and so hard that they will fall out of my head and run away somewhere tropical where they don’t have to read people’s inane comments about things being “too sweet” on a dessert blog.

ANYWAY. I digress.

This cake is insanity, and if you have a high chocolate threshold, I highly recommend it! But if you find even chewing gum to be too saccharine, you may want to, uh, go find a saltine cracker or a Band-Aid to chew on instead and leave this cake to the pros.

WHO’S READY?

Slutty Brownie Cookie Dough Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cake

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 12

This Slutty Brownie Cookie Dough Cake combines a Pinterest favorite - slutty brownies - into a unique and unexpected layer cake!

Ingredients

FOR THE "CAKE" LAYERS:
2 boxes fudge brownie mix, plus ingredients on back of boxes
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH FILLING:
¾ cup salted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup heavy whipping cream or milk
2 cups all-purpose flour (if you're worried about using raw flour, heat-treat the flour or use a flour substitution, such as almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour)
1 & ½ cups miniature chocolate chips
12 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped
FOR THE GANACHE:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
FOR THE TOPPING:
Additional baked fudge brownies (I used brownie bites from the grocery store), chocolate chip cookies, and Oreo cookies, all roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease two 9" springform pans with cooking spray and place a parchment round in the bottom of each pan. Spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
In two large bowls, prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Pour the brownie batters into the prepared pans. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely, then gently release from the pans. Place one brownie layer upside down on a cake platter.
To make the cookie dough filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed for about 1 minute or until creamy. Beat in the vanilla and heavy whipping cream/milk, followed by the flour or flour substitute, until a soft dough has formed. Stir in the miniature chocolate chips and Oreo cookie pieces.
Spread the cookie dough on top of the brownie layer in an even layer. Filling layer will be thick. Top with the remaining brownie layer and press down gently to adhere.
For the ganache, microwave the heavy whipping cream for 30-35 seconds or until hot. Pour over the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a medium bowl and microwave that mixture for 10-20 seconds. Leave in the microwave for about 1 minute to allow chocolate chips to melt. Stir the mixture until smooth and glossy, then pour the ganache evenly over the top of the top brownie layer and down the sides of the cake.
Immediately put handfuls of chopped brownies, chocolate chip cookies and Oreo cookies all over the ganache's surface. Serve immediately, or keep in the fridge up to 2 days.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

This Slutty Brownie Cookie Dough Cake takes the Pinterest favorite to a whole new level! Two fudge brownie "cake" layers sandwiched around egg-free chocolate chip Oreo cookie dough, topped with smooth chocolate ganache and bite-size morsels of brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and Oreos! So decadent, impressive, and OUTRAGEOUS!

Utter insanity… but utterly delicious.

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Brownies, Cake, Chocolate, Cookie Dough, Cookies, Everything!

Peach Bourbon Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream

June 23, 2017 3 Comments

Summertime means ripe and juicy peaches, and nothing quite says summer like these Peach Bourbon Cupcakes! Moist peach and bourbon-infused cupcakes topped with a real peach and bourbon buttercream!

So I realized I am severely lacking in the peach-flavored treats department on my blog.

Peach lovers everywhere: I’m sorry.

Peaches admittedly aren’t my favorite fruit, so I tend to overlook them. But I know they are the favorite fruit of no less than 9 million people in the world, so I’m doing this for you.

Plus, any excuse I can get to enjoy bourbon while eating dessert is a win in my book.

These cupcakes came to me after I discovered the magic of freeze-dried fruit with my Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars. Freeze-dried fruit is real-fruit that’s been, uh, freeze-dried (duh) so it has all that amazing fresh fruit flavor packed into little crunchy fruit bits. And nowadays, they have like, every type of fruit freeze-dried for your convenience. I seriously saw everything from mangoes to pineapple to even blueberries.

In the past, I’ve attempted to make peach cupcakes but the only peach flavoring I could use was peach Jell-O. Which, no offense to Jell-O, is delicious but not what I was going for. And the peach buttercream was always lacking. Enter: freeze-dried peaches to the rescue!

The peach cupcakes are made with ground up freeze-dried peaches and chunks of real peaches mixed in for a true peach flavor. The buttercream is swirled with the freeze-dried peaches and a splash of bourbon for a nice little kick. Bourbon and peaches should be together from this point forward. Let’s sign a petition!

And while we’re petition-signing, let’s dive into these magical cupcakes!

Peach Bourbon Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 18 mins

Total time: 38 mins

Serves: 18-20

These Bourbon Peach Cupcakes are phenomenal! True, fresh, real peach flavor comes through in both the moist and tender cake and the fluffy buttercream! And a splash of bourbon never hurt anyone 🙂

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 box yellow cake mix
3 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup peach nectar or water
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups freeze-dried peaches, ground to a fine powder in a food processor
1 can peach halves, drained
2 Tbsp bourbon, optional but recommended
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp bourbon
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup freeze-dried peaches, ground to a fine powder in the food processor
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
3&1/2 -4 cups confectioners' sugar
Fresh peach slices for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with about 18-20 paper liners; set aside. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, peach nectar or water, brown sugar, bourbon, and freeze-dried peach powder with an electric mixer until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the peach halves and beat for about 30 seconds to break up the peaches into pieces.
Portion the batter evenly among each muffin cup, filling about ¾ of the way full. Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
For the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, bourbon, and vanilla extract until creamy, about 1 minute. Add in the freeze-dried peach powder and one cup of the confectioners' sugar, beating until combined. Alternate adding in a little of the heavy whipping cream and the remaining confectioners' sugar until frosting is light and fluffy.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top with a fresh peach slice, if desired.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Peach Bourbon Cupcakes couldn't be easier or more impressive to whip up! Moist and tender peach cupcakes topped with a bourbon-infused real peach buttercream frosting. So great for when peaches are in season and extra ripe!

Moist and tender peach cupcakes bursting with real farmstand peach flavor and topped with a bourbon-infused peach buttercream. These cupcakes are HEAVEN!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Want more peachy goodness?

Peach Pie Turnovers

Peach Snack Cake

This post is not sponsored by Maker’s Mark – they sadly don’t know I exist. I just love their bourbon in this recipe!

Filed Under: Cake, Cupcakes, Everything!

The Best Cotton Candy Cupcakes

June 16, 2017 4 Comments

Calling all cotton candy lovers! The fluffy stuff is now in a moist & tender cupcake! These Cotton Candy Cupcakes taste just like the real deal and are a cinch to make.

Since I was a young little girl, I have always been obsessed with cotton candy and bubblegum flavored anything.

As a tween and teen, I’d beg my grandma to allow me and my best friend, Katrina, to walk up to the local yogurt shop with $5 so we could each get a sky-high snowcone with bubblegum and cotton candy syrup drenching every last ice crystal. We would slurp up the extra syrup until our teeth and tongues were blue and walk home giggling at our gross teeth.

And anytime I went to the California State Fair, I’d always have to get a gigantic bag of cotton candy. Who doesn’t love the stuff? It’s pure sugar! Perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth and a penchant for hand-spun desserts.

A couple months ago, I was visiting Utah for a work-related thing and my friend took me to this shop called Orson Gygi. It’s basically a food and baking warehouse with everything. You can buy cake stands, party supplies, and 20lb bags of chocolate chips under one roof. It was basically my version of heaven, and I had only 20 minutes to shop before we were due at a dinner.

I raced down the chocolate and candy-making aisle first and instantly spied some Cotton Candy Flavoring. This stuff isn’t like your average vanilla extract – it is four times more potent than a traditional extract and is used for really powerfully flavored candies and things. But since extracts can get drowned out in a big batch of cupcake batter, I knew it’d be perfect for these Cotton Candy Cupcakes!

You guys – these cupcakes are serious business. They are INSANELY SWEET, so don’t come back and tell me how sweet they were, ya hear? It’s a cupcake recipe inspired by a dessert that literally has no other ingredient other than pure sugar. What did you expect?

The cupcake itself is so moist and fluffy with a tender crumb and a beautiful swirl of baby blue and baby pink batters. Topped off with a cotton candy buttercream, sanding sugar, and a little cotton candy stick, it’s perfect for baby showers, summer sleepovers, or even a carnival-themed soiree!

Here’s to blue teeth and cotton candy summers!

The Best Cotton Candy Cupcakes

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 18 mins

Total time: 38 mins

Serves: 18

Cotton Candy Cupcakes: fun, unique cupcakes flavored just like cotton candy!

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:
1 box white cake mix
4 egg whites
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 Tbsp cotton candy flavoring
Pink and blue food coloring
FOR THE FROSTING & TOPPING:
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 - 1 & ½ tsp cotton candy flavoring
¼ cup heavy whipping cream or milk
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar
Blue and pink sanding sugar
Blue and pink cotton candy
Popsicle sticks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with 18 paper liners; set aside. Meanwhile, prepare your cake batter: combine the cake mix, egg whites, oil, water, and cotton candy flavoring with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly among two bowls and tint each bowl with your desired shade of blue and pink (I only did one drop of coloring per bowl for a more pastel look).
Evenly distribute the colors among each muffin cup, filling about ¾ full. Don't swirl the batters, just layer them. Swirling the batters together may muddy the colors.
Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
For the frosting, cream the butter, cotton candy flavoring and vanilla extract together in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, about one cup at a time, alternating with little streams of the heavy cream until the frosting is light and fluffy. Divide the frosting evenly among two bowls and tint each bowl with blue and pink until your desired shade has been achieved. (Again, I did one drop of each color).
Using a pastry bag fixed with your desired tip, spoon some of the blue frosting down one side of the pastry bag. Spoon some of the pink frosting down the other side of the bag. It's okay if the frosting colors mix toward the tip portion of the bag; it'll just turn purple 🙂
Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top with a sprinkling of blue and pink sanding sugar. To make the cotton candy sticks, rip off a small piece of cotton candy and attach it to the wet end of a popsicle stick (just stick the popsicle stick tip in a little water). Serve immediately with the cotton candy sticks, but keep in mind- cotton candy, once exposed to air, hardens quickly. It's best to make the cotton candy sticks immediately before serving.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Cotton Candy Cupcakes are so delicious and the BEST I've tried! Moist and fluffy cotton candy-flavored cupcakes topped with a swirl of pastel cotton candy buttercream and fluffy cotton candy pop! Perfect for any occasion such as kids parties, bake sales, and more, and SO EASY!

Fluffy, flavorful, true-blue (and pink!) Cotton Candy Cupcakes! Everyone of every age will flip for these fun summery cupcakes!

Have a super sweet weekend!

xo, Hayley

This post contains an affiliate link.*

Filed Under: Cake, Candy, Cupcakes, Everything!

Easy Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake

June 14, 2017 1 Comment

Flan is such an underrated dessert! Most people may be intimidated by this Mexican classic, but not anymore! This Easy Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake combines moist, rich chocolate cake and a light and sweet scratch-made flan on top!

I am so excited to be bringing you this recipe today!

Okay, so confession time: I’ve only had flan twice in my life, because generally speaking, I have a thing with texture. The first flan I experienced was only so-so, which gave it a bad rap in my eyes.

The second flan was at Red Iguana in Salt Lake City, Utah and it was INCREDIBLE. My friend Kalyn ordered a round of flan for the table and while at first I declined (from my prior not-so-fab-flan experience), a friend let me try a bite of hers and I was hooked. It was so delicious.

Ever since trying their heavenly, light-as-a-feather flan, I have been having flan thoughts on my mind. So this cake was a no brainer.

So, if you were like me and were once scorned by flan, give this a try and I promise you’ll be singing its praises in no time.

For everyone else: hi. I made you a Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake.

It’s perfect for those times when you can’t decide if you want rich, moist chocolate cake, or caramel-soaked vanilla flan. WHY NOT BOTH? I’m basically a magician, and any day, Vegas will be calling me for my own cooking show at the Hard Rock Hotel. I’M WAITING, VEGAS.

The cool thing about this cake is that it does something magical in the oven… by completely flipping the script – literally – going upside down. An acrobatic cake? Well, it is 2017 – what did you expect cakes to do in this new age?

After greasing the pan and pouring in your caramel sauce, you’ll make your chocolate cake batter and spread it all over the caramel sauce layer in the bottom of the Bundt pan (which, would be the top of the pan once flipped). Then you pour your flan liquid all over the chocolate cake layer, so the flan is on the bottom of the pan when flipped. Still with me? Good.

The cake bakes in a water bath which helps contribute to the flan’s silky-smooth texture. And during this baking process, the cake will float to the top of the pan (so, the bottom of the pan once flipped) and the flan will sink to the bottom of the pan (AKA, the top when flipped). PHEW. You with me?

So basically, when you bake and cool the flan and flip it out of the Bundt pan, it’ll look like this in all its mighty glory. Caramel, flan, chocolate cake. IT’S MAGIC.

Two things that make this magical Flan Cake extra special? Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract and Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa. As their newest brand ambassador, I am thrilled to use Rodelle’s products because I love them so much! The flavor is superior, the quality is unprecedented, and the company’s values are awesome. Win, win, win!

The flan gets its impeccable flavor from Rodelle’s Pure Vanilla Extract, which imparts such a wonderful, pure, unadulterated vanilla flavor to the dessert. And the Gourmet Baking Cocoa offers such a complex richness since it’s a European Dutch Process cocoa.

Am I making you hungry yet?

*cake adapted from Cook’s Country

Easy Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 9 hours 20 mins

Cook time: 90 mins

Total time: 10 hours 50 mins

Serves: 12-16

This Chocolate Flan Cake is an impressive dessert, boasting a rich chocolate cake bottom and a fluffy, silky-smooth vanilla flan on top!

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:
¾ cup caramel sauce or ice cream topping
½ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa or other cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
FOR THE FLAN:
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 & ½ cups whole milk
6 ounces cream cheese
6 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour the caramel sauce in the bottom of the Bundt pan evenly. Set aside briefly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until blended. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe medium-size bowl, heat the chopped chocolate bar and butter together on HIGH power for 30 seconds. Stir, then heat again for another 30 seconds or until melted and smooth.
Whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture, and pour the melted chocolate mixture into the stand mixer bowl with the dry ingredients. Beat slowly, then stream in the whole milk. Beat until combined, followed by adding the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared pan in an even layer.
In a large blender, add the flan ingredients and process for 1 minute or until thin and combined. Pour the flan mixture evenly over the chocolate cake batter in the pan; the pan will be very full. Carefully transfer the Bundt pan to a larger roasting pan and nestle it inside. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it hits about halfway up the Bundt pan.
Bake for approx. 75-90 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the cake and through the flan comes out clean. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at LEAST 8 hours, preferably overnight. This is MANDATORY.
Just before serving, put the Bundt pan back into the roasting pan and add about 1-2 inches of hot tap water. Let sit in the water for about 1-2 minutes. Take a platter or cake stand and flip it upside down on top of the Bundt pan. Working quickly and carefully, invert the Bundt pan onto the cake stand/platter (whichever you're using) and let set for a second so all the caramel drips onto the flan cake. Remove the Bundt pan.
Serve while cold and store leftovers covered in the fridge. Spoon any extra caramel in the Bundt pan over the top of the flan.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

This Easy Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake combines flan and cake into one unique dessert mashup! A rich, moist chocolate cake bottom with a silky smooth, vanilla custard-like flan topping smothered with caramel sauce. A perfect, impressive dessert for any time!

This Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake would be excellent for a summer potluck or BBQ! The cold, smooth flan atop the moist and fluffy chocolate cake would be extra delish with a scoop of ice cream served with it!

For more information on Rodelle, be sure to visit their website, and check the #madewithrodelle hashtag on social media accounts to get tips, recipes, and more!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

In the interest of full disclosure, I am the newest brand ambassador for Rodelle. All opinions are 100% my own and I was compensated for this post. Thank you to the brands that help keep my website afloat!

Filed Under: Cake, Caramel, Chocolate, Everything!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

June 7, 2017 2 Comments

This Banana Pudding Poke Cake is made for serious banana pudding lovers! Moist, fluffy yellow cake filled with banana pudding, sliced bananas, and a freshly whipped cream. Garnished with crushed Nilla Wafers and bananas for a perfect, summery treat!

You guys – not even kidding you, but this may be one of my favorite cake recipes I’ve posted!

This cake is kinda sorta OUT. OF. CONTROL. And I am so happy with it!

The weather’s been so strange here in Sacramento as of late. Some days, it’s perfect – 70s and sunny with a little breeze, and I think about upping my lease for forever. Other days, it’s in the 100s and hotter than Satan’s armpit and I’m booking one-way flights to Seattle to live forever.

Either way, I’m still looking for a fun, easy, summery dessert to have after dinner… and lunch 🙂

Enter: this Banana Pudding Poke Cake. It consists of an easy yellow cake base, poked all over and drizzled with banana pudding. The freshly whipped cream on top is kinda the perfect accoutrement. All I need in life from this point forward is this cake. Mark my words, Single Men Who Are Trying To Date Me!

This cake is simple because it doctors up cake and pudding mixes to make something extraordinary and oh so divine. No one will know this moist, supremely fluffy, deliciously creamy cake was made with a box of cake mix – I promise. And if they do know, they won’t care because it. is. the. BOMB.

So without further adieu, my friends – eat this cake STAT.

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 1 hour 55 mins

Serves: 15

This Banana Pudding Poke Cake is so sinfully rich and delicious! The creamy banana pudding filling & layer is SO GOOD. Everyone will be begging for seconds!

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:
1 box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box
FOR THE PUDDING FILLING:
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant banana pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
About 3-4 large bananas, sliced into coins
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
1 & ½ cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup finely crushed Nilla Wafer cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool for about 30 minutes.
Poke holes all over the cake with the end of a wooden spoon or using a skewer or fork. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the pudding mixes and cold milk until combined. Pour the banana pudding mixture evenly over the holes in the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Place the sliced banana coins evenly over the top of the pudding layer on the cake. To make the whipped cream, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the whipping cream and confectioners' sugar on HIGH speed for about 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the crushed Nilla Wafers. Garnish with additional bananas just before serving. Store covered in the fridge, up to 2 days.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Banana Pudding Poke Cake: an easy yet impressive cake recipe featuring a moist and fluffy yellow cake topped with creamy, silky-smooth banana pudding, fresh bananas, and homemade whipped cream! Perfect for spring and summertime and it feeds a crowd!

That cold, creamy, silky-smooth banana pudding filling is to-die for, people! I cannot stress enough how much I LOVE this easy cake recipe!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Everything!

Easy Homemade Funfetti Cake From Scratch

May 19, 2017 5 Comments

This is the easiest and tastiest Homemade Funfetti Cake recipe you’ll try! Supremely moist, soft and fluffy, it’s studded with lots of colorful sprinkles and topped with a creamy buttercream frosting.

It’s Friday! It’s Friday!

(Although if you’re like me, you don’t need me to remind you – you’ve had it counting down since last Sunday) 🙂

I love Fridays because they’re my days off, and I also love this one in particular because I have every intention of sitting by the pool, reading a stack of magazines, and drinking cucumber mint limeade that I found at Costco.

Score.

Yesterday I spent my day at the spa. Truth be told, I had kind of a hellish week and sometimes spa days are totally necessary for survival. Like, I think if I went one more day without a deep tissue massage, my back would have seized and I would have spent my weekend lying in the fetal position on the carpet. Which, not surprisingly is how I spend some weekends after I’ve been drinking. #YOLO

So yes: back to Operation Pool Day. I’m stoked. If you need me, you better bring me a sandwich and the latest Us Weekly. Will only reply for food.

So I’m going to leave you in good hands with this phenomenal Homemade Funfetti Cake. I’d been wanting to make a homemade funfetti cake from scratch and tried a few recipes before finding that this one was, well, the One. This recipe is supremely moist, soft, and fluffy and has a great crumb texture. You know how some homemade cakes are drier? This one is far from it!

And of course, it’s topped with a homemade creamy buttercream frosting, because that’s really the only way to do funfetti cake, amirightoramiright?

Cheers to the weekend!

*adapted from The Big Book of Cakes cookbook

5.0 from 1 reviews

Easy Homemade Funfetti Cake From Scratch

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 15

This Homemade Funfetti Cake is a dream! Supremely moist, soft, and fluffy with a tender crumb and filled with sprinkles! See the directions below for cooking times for different sized pans.

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:
2 & ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 & ½ cups granulated sugar
3 & ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 & ¼ cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
3 large eggs
1 cup rainbow jimmies
FOR THE FROSTING:
¾ cup butter, softened
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 & ½ - 4 cups confectioners' sugar
Additional rainbow sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with cooking spray. (Likewise, you may also grease 2 (9") round pans.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the butter and cream until just combined. Add in the milk, vanilla extract, almond extract and eggs slowly until a smooth batter forms. Fold in the sprinkles.
Bake in the rectangular pan for 30-40 minutes or in the 2 round pans for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely.
To make the frosting: Cream the butter and vanilla extract together in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with the heavy whipping cream until a soft, spreadable frosting is achieved. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake and top with the remaining sprinkles. Store cake covered, either at room temp or in the fridge.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

This Homemade Funfetti Cake from scratch is so delicious! Moist, soft, fluffy with a tender crumb, this homemade vanilla cake is studded with sprinkles and topped with a creamy buttercream frosting! Great for feeding a crowd or just because!

I love how tender, sweet and delicious this homemade cake is! You’ll never want boxed Funfetti again! 🙂

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Everything!

Butter Pecan Layer Cake

The BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Raspberry Lemonade Pound Cake

Peach & Pecan Crumb Cake with Homemade Bourbon Caramel

Peach Bourbon Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream

The Best Cotton Candy Cupcakes

Easy Homemade Chocolate Flan Cake

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Easy Homemade Funfetti Cake From Scratch

My Latest Videos

Order My Cookbook!

Archives

The Domestic Rebel on YouTube

My Latest Videos

Order My Cookbook!

Archives

The Domestic Rebel on YouTube

Categories