These Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies are even better than Crumbl’s and come together quickly! A tropical twist on a classic sugar cookie!

I wish I could take a tropical vacation right about now. Doesn’t the Caribbean sound super nice?!

Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards, but you can bring the tropics home with you with these cookies! I was definitely inspired by the islands with this flavor combo!

People assume because I bake, I must be really picky/not like other bakeries or brands of desserts. Not the case! I grew up eating snack cakes and fast food; I am not picky at all!

So when a Crumbl bakery opened up near me, I was eager to try it. I like checking out their new flavors each week. I don’t go all the time, but a few have piqued my interest. This is my spin on their coconut lime cookie!

Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

These cookies consist of a coconut lime sugar cookie base that’s ultra tender and soft. I based it off of my old-fashioned sugar cookies which have an amazing tender texture. I just added some fresh lime zest and coconut extract to them to give them that tropical vibe.

The cookies start with unsalted butter, oil, granulated and powdered sugars (powdered sugar gives great texture!), an egg, coconut extract, lime zest, flour, baking soda, and salt. Super easy! And, there’s no chilling required

I then frosted them with a lime buttercream frosting and topped them with toasted coconut. Crumbl doesn’t top theirs with toasted coconut, but I love the texture and nutty flavor it gives, so I added some to mine. It’s just butter, lime juice, lime zest, and powdered sugar beaten together. Simple and delicious. For optimal flavor, be sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice.

I just love that these are easier and cheaper to make at home than grabbing a dozen (or even a half dozen) at the bakery! Now you can have these cookies whenever you like because they’re so simple to make and are ready when you are!

There’s something so delicious about the combination of bright, zesty lime and sweet, nutty coconut! I know you’re going to love these!

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Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

These Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies are like Crumbl Cookies but BETTER because you can make them at home any time you want! Soft and tender coconut lime sugar cookies topped with a lime buttercream and toasted coconut for a tropical treat!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1½ tsp coconut extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Zest of one small lime (about 1 tsp worth)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, for rolling cookies

For Lime Frosting & Topping:

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• Zest of one small lime
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Set aside.
• In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, oil, both sugars, coconut and vanilla extracts, lime zest and egg with the paddle attachment until cohesive and combined, about 2 minutes. Add in the baking soda, salt, and flour and mix on low speed until just combined.
• Add the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar (used for rolling the cookies) into a small bowl. Scoop rounded 1½ Tablespoon-size balls of cookie dough and roll into the sugar mixture to coat. Place dough balls 2" apart on the baking sheets. I fit about 12 dough balls on each sheet as these cookies don't spread much.
• Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time. Remove from the oven and immediately take a drinking glass and gently press onto each cookie to slightly flatten it. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets as they are fragile at this stage.
• For the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, lime juice, lime zest and powdered sugar together with a handheld electric mixer until just combined and a fluffy frosting is achieved.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon of frosting onto each cookie. Top with a generous pinch of toasted coconut. Serve cookies at room temperature or chilled in the fridge.

Notes

To toast coconut, place sweetened shredded coconut in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.

These cookies are seriously INCREDIBLE! I know you’re going to LOVE them!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

More coconut this way…

Perfect Coconut Layer Cake

The post Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

You’re going to love my spin on these Best Ever Magic Seven Layer Bars! They go by many names, but you’ll soon come to know them as delicious!

October is SO close, I can almost taste it!

I am just dreaming of cooler weather, sweaters, boots, candles. I can’t even bear to light candles when it’s hot out. Even the idea of seeing a flame in my home when outside is an inferno is too much to handle.

Friday can’t come soon enough! Well, and then hopefully the weather will cooperate. But I digress.

In the meantime, I hope you are also in the swing of your fall baking despite whatever the weather may be. These magic bars will be a fun addition to your fall baking list and would be fun to enlist the kids to help make, too!

Seven layer bars have many a name – magic bars, seven layer bars, hello dolly bars… the list goes on. Traditionally, these bars have a graham cracker crust, coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, and sweetened condensed milk poured over the top. They’re then baked and get gooey and amazing. I have made many iterations of these on the blog over the years, many of which use cake mix as the crust for a fun chewy crust. There are so many possibilities with these and you can easily adapt them to fit your flavor profile (use chocolate and mint candies for a chocolate mint spin, etc). Today’s version is classic with a Rebel twist

Because I’m not a huge fan of the traditional graham cracker crust (I find it too flimsy to hold all of these major ingredients!), I made an oatmeal cookie crust that sends these bars over the edge. It’s super simple and requires ingredients you probably have on hand, but makes a huge impact and lends itself to a chewy cookie base that blows graham crackers out of the water. We’ll still stick with the traditional toppings, but for a fun pop of color and some candy, I added some miniature M&M’s. Who doesn’t love those?

The result is a chewy, gooey, hearty and deliciously chunky bar that’s sure to put a smile on everyone’s faces. Enlist the kids to help assemble the layers or press the crust into the pan. Super simple!

You’re going to love these Best Ever Magic Seven Layer Bars! I know I do!

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Best Ever Magic Seven Layer Bars

These Magic Seven Layer Bars are my favorite! Super easy to customize and so fun to make with seven magical layers of goodness in every bite!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats not instant oatmeal
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 2/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
• 2/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 1 cup miniature M&M's candies
• 14 oz (1 small can) sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Line a 9x13 light metal rectangular baking pan with foil or parchment paper, extending the foil or parchment paper over the edges of the pan. Spray your foil or parchment paper with cooking spray and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and brown sugar and mix with the paddle attachment until creamy, about 30 seconds. Add in the baking soda, flour, and oats and mix until a dough comes together. The dough may be crumbly, but will hold together if you grab it.
• Pour the dough into the prepared pan and use your hands to press the dough into an even layer, compacting it down evenly as you press. Next, evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, chopped pecans, and mini M&M's candies over the crust, layer by layer. Finish by drizzling the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the cookie bars.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, bubbly along the edges and set. The center should appear set. Cool completely, then let set at room temperature for at least 2 hours, up to overnight, before cutting into bars.

I love how unbelievably chunky and gooey these bars are!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever Magic Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

This Coconut Layer Cake could not be more perfect! Supremely moist and soft with a fluffy, tender crumb and a yummy coconut buttercream frosting topped with lightly toasted coconut to really drive home the coconut flavor!

I have been SO inspired by spring desserts as of late!

Spring is just an inspiring kinda time. It feels like a new beginning, a fresh start, a clean color palette. My allergies make my life a living hell and summer likes to rear its hideous head far too early for us here in Sacramento, but for the most part, I enjoy springtime.

I love the groundbreaking florals and pastels, the Easter candy (it tastes better than Halloween candy – fight me!), and the breezy weather. And of course, the springy food!

What is springy food? Just cute, light, fresh, and seasonal fare. Of course, coconut knows no particular season, except arguably summertime, but I am hereby petitioning to make coconut a springtime dessert as well. It is just so beautiful and would be perfect at a spring brunch table or even Easter if you manage to squeeze it in this weekend!

This layer cake is super flavorful, moist and tender with a fluffy crumb and tons of coconut flavor in both the cake, frosting, and the topping. No shortage of coconutty goodness here! Here’s the breakdown.

The Cake

The cake is based off of my Very Best Vanilla Cake recipe which truly is the very best! This yields such a moist and perfect cake – the layers are incredible and the flavor’s amazing. I tweaked this so instead of a pure vanilla flavor, it would also have a coconut flavor thanks to some coconut extract. Super easy. The cake gets its moisture and deliciousness from a few sources: oil and buttermilk, which combined imparts a ton of decadent moisture and makes this cake super rich and amazing.

The Frosting

The frosting is a simple coconut vanilla buttercream frosting that comes together in seconds. It consists of butter, coconut extract, vanilla extract, some heavy whipping cream, and confectioners’ sugar. That’s it! Love when things are easy and delicious. You’ll whip it all together and frost your cake. Easy as that.

The Topping

The topping is just some shredded sweetened coconut that I lightly toasted. Toasted coconut varies in “toastiness” and I wanted just a light toast on mine with only a few specks of browned bits. This took about 5-7 minutes in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. If you want a toastier coconut, it may take longer. The key with toasting coconut is to ALWAYS watch it and never step away, even for a second! It may seem like nothing’s happening and then bam, you have browned coconut.

Moist, sweet, fluffy and creamy with amazing coconut flavor: you’re going to LOVE this dreamy Coconut Layer Cake!

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Best Ever Coconut Layer Cake

This Coconut Layer Cake is the best! Supremely soft and moist with amazing coconut flavor in a light and tender cake. You're going to love this show-stopping and easy cake!

Course Cake, Cakes/Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For the Coconut Cake:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1½ cups granulated white sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tsp coconut extract start with 1 tsp and increase if desired
• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1¼ cups buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Coconut Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp coconut extract
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1½ cups lightly toasted coconut see Note for toasting instructions

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of two 9" round light metal cake pans. Place a parchment paper round in the bottom and regrease the bottom and sides of the pans. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, oil, and granulated sugar together with the paddle attachment until creamy and fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed, followed by the vanilla and coconut extracts. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add in part of the flour, mixing well, followed by some of the buttermilk, mixing well. Alternate adding in the flour and buttermilk, mixing after each addition, until a soft batter comes together.
• Divide the batter evenly among the baking pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, but not wet, crumbs. Cool completely in the pans.
• For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and extracts together with a paddle attachment until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, about one cup at a time, alternating with a little of the heavy cream until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Frost your cakes with the buttercream and immediately press the lightly toasted coconut into the still tacky buttercream frosting before the frosting sets. For best results, store the cake airtight at room temperature or in the fridge.
• Note: For a 9x13 rectangular baking pan, bake approximately 30-35 minutes. For cupcakes, bake for approximately 15-18 minutes. For three 9" round cake pans, bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.

Notes

To lightly toast your coconut, place sweetened shredded coconut into a large dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown in spots. Do NOT step away from the skillet as it turns brown very quickly. Allow to cool completely before garnishing the cake. 

You’re going to love this springy and coconutty cake!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever Coconut Layer Cake first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Cream of Coconut Pecan Pie is a delicious, tropical take on a classic Thanksgiving staple! The addition of coconut flavors is SO amazing, you may never go back to traditional pecan pie!

Well, Unofficial Pie Week has officially ended after this recipe. But have no fear – there are still plenty of pie recipes I’ll be posting throughout the rest of the season, in plenty of time for Thanksgiving.

…which hi, is in like a matter of weeks. How??

Still unclear at which point we entered a time warp and are now basically in November. But at the same time, I’m glad? Who wants to live in this year any longer than necessary? Speed up to the finish line PLEASE.

Anyway, I wish I could say this pie was inspired by a tropical vacation I’ve taken had it not been for the state of the world currently, but let’s be real – it’s not. It’s inspired by me being inspired by somewhere tropical had I had money to visit a tropical location and had we not been in a pandemic. I wish I could just jump on a plane and head to Puerto Rico or Turks & Caicos and eat yummy coconutty pies on the beach, but alas, I am poor and well, yeah, that says enough.

I don’t know why I didn’t think to put coconut flavors with pecan pie sooner! We all know coconut and pecans go merrily in a coconut pecan frosting for German chocolate cake, so why not pie?! This mashup is seriously tasty; I know you’re going to love it!

Traditionally, pecan pie filling has corn syrup in it, but this version uses cream of coconut. Now, take note because cream of coconut and coconut milk are not the same thing. CREAM of coconut is often found on the alcohol/mixer aisle as it is a staple for pina coladas. It is thick – almost a glue consistency – whereas coconut milk is runny. These two are not interchangeable, so make sure you grabbed the right one!

We also add some coconut extract and shredded sweetened coconut to the filling to really drive home that coconutty flavor. The result is a sweet and nutty pie that is sure to send you straight to a tropical beach without leaving your house.

Cream of Coconut Pecan Pie! Welcome to paradise!

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Cream of Coconut Pecan Pie

This Cream of Coconut Pecan Pie is fantastic! Nutty, buttery, and bursting with amazing coconut flavor in the filling and from the toasted coconut sprinkled on top. Such a fun and tropical twist on a classic!

Course Dessert, Pie

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• One 9" frozen deep dish pie crust
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups cream of coconut
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut divided
• 1½ cups chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Place the frozen pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet - this helps in case the pie filling were to spill over. Set aside.
• For the filling: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until brown flecks appear on the bottom and butter smells nutty. Watch very carefully and closely as this happens FAST and once it has burned, it's no good. Once browned, remove from heat immediately and whisk in the cream of coconut, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes to cool slightly.
• To the slightly cooled butter mixture, whisk in the lightly beaten eggs and coconut extract until combined. Add in the chopped pecans and 1/2 cup of the coconut. Pour into the prepared pie crust.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center appears set and somewhat dull looking. Check the pie halfway through the baking time and cover loosely with foil if it is browning too quickly. Remove from heat and cool completely, then refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• For serving: Toast the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded coconut in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and toasty. Cut pie into slices and top with fresh sweetened whipped cream and toasted coconut shreds.

Notes

Make sure you use cream of coconut, which is thicker and richer, than coconut milk, which is far too runny. The two are not interchangeable! Cream of coconut can sometimes be found on the Asian food aisle, but I most commonly find it on the alcohol aisle near the mixers. 

Buttery, nutty, coconutty and sweet, this tropical take on a classic pecan pie is sure to win your family over!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Cream of Coconut Pecan Pie first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Pina Colada Cupcakes are absolutely AMAZING! Moist pineapple cupcakes with a sinful coconut buttercream and toasted coconut on top!

I LOVE pina coladas.

They are easily one of my favorite drinks, especially during the warmer months. I love to make a batch and chill by our apartment pool or enjoy on my balcony while reading a book.

Who doesn’t love the classic flavors of nutty coconut and sweet pineapple? It truly is a match made in culinary heaven!

In this uncertain time, I am relying a lot more on my favorite comforts to keep me happy, healthy and sane. Some are major things like staying home, but others are enjoying foods I love because it brings me joy. Cupcakes are a definite joy-bringer – how can you not smile when you see a beautiful swirl of icing on a petite little cake? It’s adorable and they always taste good. Win win!

These Pina Colada Cupcakes are all about joy, too! They are guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

What I love about these cupcakes is that they’re truly flavorful – there is big, bold pineapple and coconut flavors so you know EXACTLY what it is when you bite into it! I like my flavoring to be stronger, so these definitely have a prominent pineapple and coconut flavor!

You’ll start with the pineapple cupcakes, which starts with a box of yellow cake mix. You’re welcome to use your own homemade pineapple cake recipe, but I like the ease of a cake mix. It’s readily available, it’s easy to use, and it tastes great when doctored up with pineapple flavor. To do so, you’ll use pineapple juice instead of water and add in a can of crushed pineapple to really drive home that flavor. Likewise, if you see pineapple cake mix in the store, buy it! I love the pineapple-flavored cake mix the best, but some stores don’t carry it as much so if you can’t find it, use yellow.

Bake up the cupcakes and let them cool, and then you’ll make your coconut frosting! This frosting is a simple buttercream with a coconutty twist: I use cream of coconut in the actual frosting to make this extra creamy and flavorful. Note: cream of coconut is NOT coconut milk. They are two different products: coconut milk is runny, and cream of coconut is thick like a paste. You want cream of coconut which is often found on the drink mixers aisle since it is a popular drink mixer for things like pina coladas.

Lastly, you’ll swirl a huge mountain of coconut frosting over the pineapple cupcakes and garnish with toasted coconut, a cherry, and a wedge of fresh pineapple. I mean, how good do these look?!

Bottoms up!

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Pina Colada Cupcakes

These Pina Colada Cupcakes are exceptionally moist and flavorful cupcakes that will take you to the tropics without leaving your kitchen!

Course Cakes/Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• One box yellow OR pineapple cake mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 3 large eggs
• 8 ounces (One 8-ounce can) crushed pineapple drained

FROSTING:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut NOT coconut milk. Cream of coconut is often found on the alcoholic beverage aisle by the mixers.
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk (if needed - only use if frosting becomes too pasty)
• Fresh pineapple wedges, cherries, and toasted coconut for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Line 2 muffin pans with about 18 paper liners. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, pineapple juice, eggs, and crushed pineapple with a handheld electric mixer until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Portion the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, but not wet, crumbs. Cool completely.
• To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, cream of coconut, coconut and vanilla extracts together with the paddle attachment until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Mixture may look separated at first due to the oil in the cream of coconut; this is normal. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy. Only add in a little heavy cream if needed if frosting is too thick or pasty.
• Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. If piping the frosting as high as the photos, I would double the frosting recipe. Garnish with toasted coconut, a maraschino cherry and a fresh pineapple wedge. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

NOTE: To toast coconut, simply add 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until coconut turns light brown and is fragrant, careful not to step away for too long as it cooks fast and can burn quickly. Allow to cool before garnishing.

These cupcakes scream spring and summer to me, and I know you’re going to enjoy every bite of them!

Love pineapple and coconut? Me too! Check out these recipes…

Boozy Pineapple Dole Whips

Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Best Ever Coconut Cream Pie

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Pina Colada Cupcakes first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

The more I live in Sacramento, the more I realize there is a sore lack of really good bakeries around here.

I just returned from Paris, Land of Bakeries, and spent 10 days being swooned by every baked good under the sun. Macaron shops as far as the eye can see. Beautiful, towering cakes lining shop windows. Croissants – so. many. croissants. Eclairs. Parfaits. Kouign Amann, which is freaking fantastic and pronounced “queen a-mahn” if you didn’t know. I mean, shoot, even the Parisian McDonald’s had freaking macarons! At my local McDonald’s, I can’t even get the 18 year old working behind the counter to fix the McFlurry machine.

All I’m asking for is for someone to open up a bakery (don’t you dare say me!) in my county and have it serve fantastic cakes, tiramisu, pies, and all the like. And again, please don’t suggest I do it. I’ve worked in a bakery before and there is no way in actual hell, heaven, Earth, or in the universe I would EVER open one. Waking up at 1am to bake breads and cupcakes is not my idea of a good time. It’s also not very fun when you run out of red velvet cupcakes on Valentine’s Day at 6pm, minutes before closing, and some idiot man screams at you because he waited until the very last second to get his girlfriend cupcakes. (Also, red velvet cupcakes are not even good, much less worth screaming over, but please, regale me again with the tale of how I ruined Valentine’s Day because you’re a procrastinating thoughtless oaf).

ANYWAY. What I’m trying to say is there’s a real lack of good cakes around here, and I don’t think the average Californian has heard of hummingbird cake which is a crying shame. If you didn’t know, hummingbird cakes actually hail from Jamaica, where they’re often called “Doctor Bird” cake. It’s essentially a very moist cake made with bananas, pineapples, pecans and coconut and topped with a cream cheese icing. Talk about DELICIOUS, right?

Well, since I’m determined to Make Californians Hummingbird Cake Eaters (official campaign slogan TBA) I decided to make this Hummingbird Banana Bread and boy, was it a fantastic decision.

If you haven’t tried my Best Ever Banana Bread, here’s your formal invitation to try it. This takes my classic best-ever banana bread and doctors it with so many amazing flavors and textures that your whole world will explode with happiness upon the first bite. The bread itself is more cake-like but that’s not to imply it is dry or crumbly. This cake-bread is super moist and flavorful, thanks to the banana, pineapple, Greek yogurt, and instant dry pudding mix which is my secret ingredient for ultra moist and delicious banana bread! Then we add in some chopped pecans and toasted coconut for extra flavor and richness.

The result is the most flavorful and delicious Hummingbird Banana Bread ever! Trust me, you do not want to sleep on this recipe!

*adapted from my Best Ever Banana Bread recipe

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Best Ever Hummingbird Banana Bread

This Hummingbird Banana Bread is one of the BEST banana bread recipes I've tried! Chock-full of bananas, pineapple, pecans and toasted coconut for a supremely moist and flavorful bread that tastes like a classic Hummingbird cake!

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt plain or banana flavored
• 2 cups mashed bananas about 3-4 small bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (small 3.4 oz box) instant banana pudding mix (JUST the dry powder)
• 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple drained
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup lightly toasted coconut divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9" loaf pan with cooking spray. For best results, I like using a light metal loaf pan or a disposable pan as they cook more consistently. Note that your bread may take longer or be cooked inconsistently with a dark loaf pan or glass loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar with a handheld electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the Greek yogurt, bananas, and vanilla extract. Switching to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the cinnamon, baking soda, salt, flour, and dry pudding powder into the batter until just barely combined. Do not over-mix, as this leads to tough bread! Gently fold in the pineapple, pecans, and 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut. Batter may still be lumpy, that's okay!
• Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Top the bread with the remaining 1/2 cup toasted coconut.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then loosely tent a piece of foil over the top of the bread and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake skewer inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely before cutting into slices.
• NOTE: To toast coconut, add the coconut flakes to a dry skillet and toast on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until barely toasted. They should have a touch of light golden brown color but should not be darker than that as the coconut will continue to darken in the oven.

Amazingly moist, tender, flavorful and delicious bread – you’ll love it!

Check out these other easy breakfast treats!

Best Caramel Apple Bread

Best Ever Zucchini Walnut Bread

Oreo Banana Bread

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever Hummingbird Banana Bread first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I just love these easy Cadbury Egg Magic Bars! Complete with a fudge brownie base, coconut, white chocolate chips, pecans and addictive Cadbury eggs in every bite make these bars so delicious!

I am all about easy desserts, as you know.

Sometimes when people find out what I do for a living, they ask if I make cakes for events. And I have to reply with a resounding NO.

Granted, I think people are a little confused with the whole “food blogger” thing. Where do the treats go? Do I sell them? Do I do custom orders? Will I make their best friend’s baby’s smash cake? I’m always happy to answer questions since my job is very unconventional, but I absolutely, positively do not take custom orders, nor do I sell my stuff. To answer that question: I give it all away. Neighbors, the front office workers at my apartment complex, friends, family, and everyone else gets the treats as I usually rotate where I drop them off.

Still, some people have difficulty grasping the fact that I’m not making custom things for people to buy. I did it for a little bit when I was first starting out but realized I loathed the pressure and anxiety I put upon myself to make everything look “perfect.” Plus, I catered a wedding once and that couple is now divorced, so clearly my track record is not good and I am probably a bad omen.

ANYWAY, the point of all of this (my blog, the fact that I don’t sell my treats, etc) is because my blog is to teach people how EASY it is to bake. You don’t have to be a professional to whip up some amazing desserts. A lot of my recipes start with boxed mixes that, when transformed with other every day ingredients, turn out extraordinary and you wouldn’t even know they started from a box of cake mix! I love that, and I love when people realize how simple it is to create unique treats in the kitchen.

This is a prime example of something you can make in your own kitchen that’s unique, easy, fast, and impressive… in fact, unless you don’t like chocolate, I cannot imagine anyone turning these Cadbury Egg Magic Bars down!

I have many different magic bar recipes on my blog and they all start with a box cake mix as the base. However, instead of adding the ingredient amounts on the back of the package to make a fluffy cake, we’ll reduce some of the ingredients and omit one of them so the cake is more like a fudge brownie bottom – not cakey at all.

While traditionally magic bars have a graham cracker crust, I’ve found in my years of research (ha!) that graham cracker crusts just aren’t substantial enough to hold the weight of all the toppings I like to add to my magic bars like chocolate chips, nuts, and candies. Plus, once you add the sweetened condensed milk to the bars, had we used graham crackers, it would have seeped down into them, making them softer and less stable. That’s why I recommend using the cake mix for a substantial, stable fudge brownie base!

The toppings I chose for these magic bars in particular are chopped pecans, white chocolate chips, coconut, and Cadbury mini eggs – not the creme eggs, but the solid milk chocolate ones with the crispy candy coating. If you don’t like coconut, simply leave it out. If you’d prefer walnuts to pecans, make the substitute. Like dark chocolate Cadbury mini eggs? Use those instead! The toppings are merely a guideline and a source of inspiration for your own magic bar creation – I just happened to love the nutty pecans, sweet white chocolate chips, light coconut and of course, the star: the Cadbury mini eggs!

Once all the toppings are on the base, you’ll drizzle on a can of sweetened condensed milk. This binds everything together and adds sweetness (duh) – it’s basically nectar from the gods. Bake it up and let it set for at least an hour or two before cutting it into squares. That’s the hardest part of this recipe by far!

Now who doesn’t want this as their Easter dessert?! I know I can’t wait to make it again!

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Cadbury Egg Magic Bars

These Cadbury Egg Magic Bars are super easy, fast and totally delicious! Chock-full of coconut, pecans, white chocolate chips and Cadbury mini chocolate eggs, they're crunchy, chewy, gooey and perfect!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 32 minutes minutes

Total Time 42 minutes minutes

Servings 15 -18

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• One box chocolate cake mix I used chocolate fudge
• 1/2 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1¼ cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1½ cups Cadbury mini eggs I used milk chocolate
• 14 ounces (One 14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with foil, extending the edges of the foil over the sides of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, butter (or oil), and egg and mix well until a soft dough forms. Press the dough into the prepared baking pan in an even layer. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, but keep oven on.
• Top the partially-baked crust with the coconut, chopped pecans, white chocolate chips and Cadbury mini eggs. Drizzle the top with the sweetened condensed milk. Return to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and the center appears set. If it jiggles slightly, that is okay - but it should not be sloshing around in the pan. Cool completely, then let set for 1-2 hours before cutting into squares.

I love that these have all the textures: crunchy, chewy and gooey! So perfect!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Cadbury Egg Magic Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I really, really love pie.

And like, not to brag or anything, but I consider myself somewhat of a pie connoisseur. It just happens when you consume so many slices of pie throughout your life that you just naturally rise to expert level.

I don’t quite understand people who don’t like pie. Do you not like happiness? Joy? Comfort and coziness? Okay, so to be fair there are certain popular desserts I don’t like: carrot cake for one, red velvet flavor for another… but saying you dislike pie is kinda sorta the most un-American thing you can do. (Not really of course; I am being facetious!).

I think those who dislike pie usually prefer their desserts to be without fruit. I can understand that. If I had to choose between, say, a fruit crisp or a slice of chocolate cake, I’m more apt to choose the cake.

But if fruit is your pie hang-up, this pie is blissfully without fruit (so I know coconut is a fruit but whatever). And if you prefer fruity pies, this one is still worth trying!

The custard is like heaven on Earth: creamy, decadent, silky smooth and flavorful with vanilla, butter and coconut. It imparts so much of that rich, delicate coconut flavor that a good coconut cream pie must have! For the crust, you can use your favorite homemade crust recipe, or a frozen deep dish pie crust, which is what I used. I find they save so much time and are pretty good in a pinch! Plus, any shortcut I can save is a bonus with me!

First you’ll bake the crust, whether it is homemade or frozen. Poke holes all over the crust’s bottom and sides using a toothpick or tines of a fork; this helps it from poofing up while it bakes… you could also use dried beans or pie weights! You only want to bake it just until it turns golden brown since the pie will not bake after you add the custard.

While the crust bakes, make your custard. It starts with granulated sugar and cornstarch, followed by half and half and egg yolks for richness. Don’t worry, we’ll be cooking the custard in a saucepan which will cook the yolks so they’re safe to eat – but keep a close eye on them and stir the pot constantly so that you don’t end up with scrambled eggs in your custard!

Once the mixture gets thick and bubbly, take it off of the heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and of course – coconut! Once combined, you’ll cover the mixture and let set for about a half an hour, then pour it into the crust and chill for about an hour or two to completely set up.

Just before serving, top the chilled pie with fresh whipped cream. Seriously, if you do anything, make sure your whipped cream is freshly made from scratch. I love whipped topping, but this pie is light-years away BETTER with homemade whipped cream!

To really drive home the coconut flavor, I added some toasted coconut to the top. Not only is it gorgeous, but your house will smell incredible as it toasts! So glorious.

I mean, if there is a heaven, they definitely serve this pie daily!

*adapted from Southern Desserts

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Best Ever Homemade Coconut Cream Pie

This Coconut Cream Pie is the best homemade recipe I've tried! Creamy, decadent and silky coconut custard in a buttery, flaky pie crust and topped with a mountain of fresh whipped cream and toasted coconut. So perfect, light, and delicious!

Course Dessert, Pie

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 -10

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• One frozen deep dish pie crust or you may use homemade, baked according to package instructions
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons butter cubed
• 1¼ cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut toasted*

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, add in the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cornstarch; whisk together until combined. Add in the half and half and eggs and whisk until smooth and combined. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and whisk in the butter, 1 & 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, and vanilla extract, whisking vigorously until combined. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, placing the plastic wrap directly onto the custard for 30 minutes.
• Pour the custard into the prepared pie crust and smooth out the top. Refrigerate until set, about 1-2 hours.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and confectioners' sugar together on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie; top with the toasted coconut. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days.
• NOTE: to toast coconut, simply place the coconut in a dry small skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nutty, fragrant and toasted. Cool.

Silky coconut custard in a flaky crust with sweetened whipped cream… this pie is absolutely delectable!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever Homemade Coconut Cream Pie first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I dunno about where you live, but here in Sacramento spring has nearly sprung and I have mixed feelings.

I love the milder weather, Easter candy, and spring dresses. I loathe allergy season, how it is a precursor to summer (ugh) and how so short-lived it is here! We seriously get maybe a month of mild spring weather and then it takes the fast-track to Hades and turns into summer in a snap.

So believe me, me and my Claritan-D are going to be trying to savor the spring weather for as long as possible!

Naturally, I think people want to start baking again in the spring. Everyone’s either fallen off their diet bandwagon from January (thank god, and welcome back!) or they’re more lenient with their diets and only indulge for weekends or holidays (hi, Easter). So I have been brainstorming lots of decadent springtime recipes for you to try and I think this cake should be at the tip-top of the list.

German chocolate cake is nothing new by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it can be kind of lackluster from most grocery stores. The frosting tastes artificial and the cake can be dry and not very flavorful. I have solved both of those dilemmas for you with this Amazing German Chocolate Cake! 

The cake itself has a nice, mellower chocolate flavor and lots of vanilla notes. The texture is supremely moist and tender and stick-to-your-fork delicious – no dry, cardboard cake here! And the frosting I could write an entire love ballad about. It’s the traditional coconut pecan frosting but it is homemade entirely from scratch, giving such incredible, ample flavor with butter, vanilla, coconut and pecans in every bite! It’s rich and sweet without being cloying, and since it tends to lie on the more decadent side, I only frosted in between the layers and on top of the cake. You could totally go ahead and frost the sides with a chocolate buttercream, but I found the “naked” cake to be utterly perfect with the frosting placed just so.

To really drive home that flavor, you can also drizzle the top with some chocolate ganache. You know, for research purposes or whatever. You’ll thank me later if you decide to do it my way; trust me.

Easy, simple but decadent and totally perfect for springtime: you’ll flip for this classic cake done right!

*adapted from Baking Step by Step

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Amazing German Chocolate Cake

This Amazing German Chocolate Cake has earned the title of "amazing" because it is! Moist, tender chocolate cake surrounded by homemade, decadent coconut pecan frosting. So rich and easy but totally impressive!

Course Cakes/Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 10 -12

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 4 ounces (One 4-ounce bar) German baking chocolate roughly chopped
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• FOR THE COCONUT PECAN FROSTING:
• 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
• 2 large eggs
• 1⅓ cups (Two 5-ounce cans) evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2⅔ cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Chocolate sauce or ganache for drizzling
• Pecan halves for decoration

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9-round cake pans with cooking spray. Place a parchment paper round in the bottom of each pan, then grease the parchment bottom and sides of the pan once more. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and milk together on low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and cool about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale in color. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the chocolate milk mixture, mixing well after each addition until a soft batter comes together.
• Distribute the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist - not wet - crumbs. Cool completely.
• While the cakes cool, make your frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, eggs and evaporated milk together and whisk until combined and smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened - a little like soft set pudding. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Let cool completely until thickened and set.
• To assemble: place one cake layer upside down onto a cake plate or serving dish. Frost with half of the coconut pecan frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer and finish frosting the top with the remaining coconut pecan frosting. Drizzle with chocolate sauce or chocolate ganache and garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Store the cake covered in the fridge or at room temperature for about 2-3 days.

Decadent yet simple German Chocolate Cake… you need this recipe!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Amazing German Chocolate Cake first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

If you forced me to tell you the best thing I ate on my Princess Cruise this past September, I hope you’d have plenty of time for me to sit and mull it over for about eleventy-thousand hours… because it’d be so hard to choose just one thing!

From the butter-poached lobster at SHARE by Curtis Stone, to the Milky Way Martini at the Crooner’s Bar on Deck 7, to the chocolate-hazelnut bar in the Michelangelo Dining Room, there was SO MUCH GOOD FOOD.

While I was wined and dined at the famed Crown Grill and had the most amazing six courses of my life at SHARE, I was also privy to the all-you-can-eat freshly fried French fries at the Trident Grill, and the wide selection of desserts at the Horizon Court Cafe.

One day, my mom decided to take a power nap while I explored the ship. I brought my DLSR and a magazine and headed out, exploring all the decks and amenities on-board the Ruby Princess. That’s when I discovered some AMAZING views from the top deck, including a miniature golf course and a walking trail. I snapped these pics there…

I tried to lay out and read my magazine by the pool, but I was seriously under-dressed for the chilly ocean breeze and plus, I was restless to try some FOOD. Princess is known for their amazing grub, so I had to explore that before I could lounge with a boring ol’ magazine.

I headed to Horizon Court Cafe and they were just setting out lunchtime treats. We’d had lunch prior so I wasn’t hungry-hungry; I was more eager to get my paws on some DESSERT, obvi. So I checked out their selection and found several things I had to try…

A slice of peanut butter pie…

A double-layer chocolate cake…

And this Lord Baltimore Cream Cake, which I was unsure about. I mean, I didn’t know who Lord Baltimore was, but he sounded delicious and I love anything with maraschino cherries… so I was game to try.

All the desserts were fabulous, but I was ENAMORED with the Lord Baltimore Cream Cake. It was like heaven had reached down into the Ruby Princess kitchen and personally touched the cake to make it extra special. It had layers of sponge cake with creamy vanilla pudding, chopped cherries, slivered almonds, and a fine dusting of coconut.

The flavors and textures combined created such a delicious dessert. I loved the pop of color from the sweet cherries, the crunch from the almonds, the chewiness from the coconut, and of course, the silky smooth pudding!

So whether or not you know Lord Baltimore, thank him because this Lord Baltimore Lush Dessert is FANTASTIC!

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Lord Baltimore Lush Dessert

This Lord Baltimore Lush Dessert is FANTASTIC! Packed with flavor and amazing texture from creamy pudding to soft ladyfingers, crunchy almonds, sweet cherries and chewy coconut!

Course Dessert, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 24 ladyfinger cookies
• One box (One 3.4 ounce box) instant vanilla pudding mix just the dry mix
• 2 cups milk divided
• 8 ounces (One 8-ounce tub) Cool Whip thawed
• 1 jar maraschino cherries drained, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

• Line an 8x8" square baking dish with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Mist the foil lightly with cooking spray.
• Add 1/2 cup of milk to a shallow dish or bowl. Dunk ladyfingers into the milk one at a time and line up side-by-side in the pan; you should have 2 rows of about 6 ladyfingers in each row. Break apart some ladyfingers to fit if needed. Set aside briefly.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 & 1/2 cups milk and the dry pudding mix for 2 minutes or until thickened. Once thickened, fold in the whipped topping until combined and smooth. Spread half of the whipped pudding mixture evenly over the ladyfingers; sprinkle the pudding layer with half of the cherries, 1/2 cup of the almonds, and 1/4 cup of the coconut.
• Repeat with remaining milk-dunked ladyfingers, pudding, and remaining cherries, almonds, and coconut. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm and set, at least 4 hours.

You’ll absolutely adore the amazing flavor and texture in this light and creamy no-bake dessert!

For more information on Princess Cruises, be sure to check out their website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

In the interest of full disclosure, I am working with Princess Cruises this year. I was generously provided with a cruise and was compensated for this post, however all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep my blog alive! 

The post Lord Baltimore Lush Dessert first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.