Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding

April 13, 2017 3 Comments

This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer! It yields such a flavorful, silky-smooth pudding that tastes like melty vanilla ice cream! Easy, made entirely from scratch and can be made with any flavor of coffee creamer! #InDelight #CreamerNation #adThis Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is fantastic! Such an easy recipe that yields such smooth, creamy and silky pudding made entirely from scratch! No one will know coffee creamer is the secret ingredient!

Up until this post, I had never made homemade pudding before. In fact, I don’t even think I’ve tasted homemade pudding, either!

That had to change – and I am so glad it did because homemade pudding is where it’s at!

I have a really good feeling that I will be making this pudding all summer long, because who doesn’t want a fresh-from-the-fridge, ice cold pudding on a hot day? And in Sacramento, it gets hot and early, too! While now it’s all spring showers and breezy days, that will soon change come May and I’ll be reaching for pudding relief all day long 🙂

But in the meantime, this Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding will make a fantastic last-minute Easter dessert, or would make a lovely addition to a springtime tea party!

Normally, homemade pudding is made with whole milk or cream, but for this recipe I used International Delight’s Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer which is my hands-down FAVORITE. You can always use another flavor from their line-up of creamers, like French Vanilla, Butter Pecan (OMG), or even Irish Creme! It’s truly limited to your imagination, but I went with Sweet Cream because of its almost melty ice cream flavor and decadence.

This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer! It yields such a flavorful, silky-smooth pudding that tastes like melty vanilla ice cream! Easy, made entirely from scratch and can be made with any flavor of coffee creamer! #InDelight #CreamerNation #adMix it up in a saucepan with some sugar, cornstarch (for thick pudding!) and a pinch of salt, then let it cook until thickened. Temper some egg yolks with the hot sugar mixture and add in the yolks, a splash of vanilla extract, and some butter for good measure. The yolks and butter add such a wonderful texture and flavor to this pudding that I truly feel they’re almost mandatory to add!

This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer! It yields such a flavorful, silky-smooth pudding that tastes like melty vanilla ice cream! Easy, made entirely from scratch and can be made with any flavor of coffee creamer! #InDelight #CreamerNation #adNow you could serve this warm… but as I mentioned above, I have a thing with chilled pudding, so I chilled mine. Topping it with fresh whipped cream and berries, though – that may also need to be mandatory! OR, layer the fresh pudding with pound cake or angel food cake cubes and sliced fruit for trifles! So simple and perfect for springtime.

This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer! It yields such a flavorful, silky-smooth pudding that tastes like melty vanilla ice cream! Easy, made entirely from scratch and can be made with any flavor of coffee creamer! #InDelight #CreamerNation #ad

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Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding
Author: 
Recipe type: No Bake Treats
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is a real standout recipe! Smooth, silky, buttery vanilla pudding made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer!
Ingredients
  • 2 & ½ cups International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer (or you may try this recipe with their French Vanilla Creamer!)
  • Pinch salt
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp butter, cubed
  • Fresh whipped cream and berries for serving, optional
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coffee creamer, salt, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until combined and fully incorporated. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure the mixture doesn't scorch! Remove from the heat.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks until lightly beaten. Temper the eggs by adding a Tablespoon or two of the hot sugar mixture to the eggs, whisking constantly. Temper again with another Tablespoon if needed. Pour the tempered egg yolks into the sugar mixture along with the vanilla extract and butter, stirring until melted and combined.
  3. Spoon the pudding mixture into individual bowls or cups, or pour into a large bowl. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap by gently pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding - this helps prevent a film from forming on the pudding. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1-2 hours.
  4. Just before serving, garnish with fresh whipped cream and berries, if desired.
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This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer! It yields such a flavorful, silky-smooth pudding that tastes like melty vanilla ice cream! Easy, made entirely from scratch and can be made with any flavor of coffee creamer! #InDelight #CreamerNation #adThis pudding is so thick, creamy and silky-smooth with a wonderful, almost ice-cream-like flavor from the Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer! It’s truly unlike any other pudding I’ve tried!

This Homemade Vanilla Sweet Cream Pudding is made with a secret ingredient: coffee creamer! It yields such a flavorful, silky-smooth pudding that tastes like melty vanilla ice cream! Easy, made entirely from scratch and can be made with any flavor of coffee creamer! #InDelight #CreamerNation #ad Be sure to follow International Delight on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Pinterest and sign up to receive their emails for news, recipes, and more!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Easter, Everything!, No-Bake, Treats, Video

4-Ingredient Coconut Macaroon Bars

April 4, 2017 4 Comments

These FOUR INGREDIENT Coconut Macaroon Bars taste just like macaroon cookies but in convenient, easy, crowd-pleasing bar form! Chewy, a little crisp with sweet, nutty coconut flavor in every bite! You’re only four simple ingredients away from making these super coconutty Coconut Macaroon Bars! Chewy, slightly crisp, nutty and sweet, they’re only a few ingredients you probably have at home in your pantry!

So I just got back from QVC! Did you guys catch me on there? (If not, you can always go to QVC’s website and type in “Two in One Desserts” and the video… and the link to buy it! will pop right up!)

It was all the way in pretty West Chester, Pennsylvania and was a whirlwind of a trip. I flew over there on Tuesday, my segment aired live on Wednesday, and I was back in California by Thursday afternoon. PHEW.

But I have to say, the 6+ hour travelling both days was sooo worth the experience of being on QVC.

Everyone who works at QVC is SO sweet. I’m not joking – everyone. From the barista who gave me the strongest tea ever (I needed caffeine to stay up late for my segment!), to the security guards, to the actual hosts, David Venable, Stacy Stauffer and Kerstin Lindquist (the latter of whom declared my cookbook cookies “the BEST!”).

And of course, David loved everything, too 🙂 I even got an infamous Happy Dance out of him!

But now I’m back home to being a regular person and not a celebrity 😉 I don’t have a built-in salon curling my hair before my air time, I don’t have access to my own private dressing room and I’m not hanging backstage with the Scrub Daddy dude, who is awesome, by the way. And I’m kinda misty-eyed about it, I’ll say. Who doesn’t want their hair profesh curled on a whim? Exactly.

So here I am, baking you Coconut Macaroon Bars on a Tuesday. As one does.

I actually made this recipe years and years ago but desperately needed to update the photos, as you can tell if you dare to click the link and see them. (Yikes). But I remembered how delicious those nutty, chewy bars were and knew I had to remake them before Easter and share them with you. So here we are!

These FOUR INGREDIENT Coconut Macaroon Bars taste just like macaroon cookies but in convenient, easy, crowd-pleasing bar form! Chewy, a little crisp with sweet, nutty coconut flavor in every bite! These bars only have four ingredients, and I’m guessing you likely have those ingredients at home already. The one surprise ingredient? Refrigerated crescent roll dough, which is the base of these bars. No, these bars will not taste like a dinner roll with coconut sprinkled on top. Yes, they will surprisingly taste like a coconut macaroon cookie but baked into a bar form for something unique, unexpected, and totally hassle-free, unlike scooping individual mounds of cookie dough.

Make them for your favorite coconut lover!

These FOUR INGREDIENT Coconut Macaroon Bars taste just like macaroon cookies but in convenient, easy, crowd-pleasing bar form! Chewy, a little crisp with sweet, nutty coconut flavor in every bite!

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4-Ingredient Coconut Macaroon Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-18
 
These Coconut Macaroon Bars have only four simple ingredients - one of which is surprising but makes these bars so easy to prepare!
Ingredients
  • 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
  • 3 & ½ cups coconut, divided (I used sweetened coconut)
  • One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
  2. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1 cup of the shredded coconut. Unroll the can of crescent roll dough and place it into the bottom of the pan in an even layer, pinching together the perforations to seal. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and almond extract to combine; pour the mixture evenly over the top of the coconut bars.
  3. Bake for approx. 30-35 minutes or until the center is just about set and the tops are light golden brown and fragrant. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
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These FOUR INGREDIENT Coconut Macaroon Bars taste just like macaroon cookies but in convenient, easy, crowd-pleasing bar form! Chewy, a little crisp with sweet, nutty coconut flavor in every bite! If you’re wondering, the almond extract brings out the sweet nuttiness of the coconut so beautifully! It’s definitely a must-have ingredient for these fabulous bars! Want to take these over the top? Dunk or drizzle them in CHOCOLATE!

These FOUR INGREDIENT Coconut Macaroon Bars taste just like macaroon cookies but in convenient, easy, crowd-pleasing bar form! Chewy, a little crisp with sweet, nutty coconut flavor in every bite! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Coconut, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

The Best Ever Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

March 30, 2017 17 Comments

This truly is the BEST EVER Carrot Cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake filled with juicy pineapple, crunchy pecans, fresh carrots and aromatic spices, topped with an orange-spiked cream cheese icing. So perfect, a total crowd-pleasing, impressive cake! This truly is the BEST Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting I’ve ever had! Moist, fluffy cake flavored with lots of spice topped with a lusciously creamy orange-spiked cream cheese icing.

So it should be no surprise that I am not a carrot cake person.

Never have been, probably never will be.

BUT – that said – I made this for you because I realize that most people do like carrot cake and I have a blatant lack of carrot cake recipes on my site. Probably because my family and I avoid carrot desserts like the plague.

And I have to admit… I REALLY liked this cake. I mean, it was close to feelings of love, for sure… but I don’t want to jump the gun just yet. I’d prefer to let our newfound relationship develop slowly, like a fine wine. Let us become good friends first and then go down the road of love. Ya feel me?

But – I really, really liked this cake. A lot. And I KNOW you will too, especially if you like carrot cake!

Now I know I say I don’t like carrot cake but I have tried it multiple times and I am confident in saying now that this truly is the BEST carrot cake recipe I’ve had. It is so supremely moist and fluffy, studded with carrots, pecans, and pineapple for extra zing and flavor. And the orange-spiked cream cheese frosting is heaven, y’all. The perfect accompaniment to this fabulous cake!

This truly is the BEST EVER Carrot Cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake filled with juicy pineapple, crunchy pecans, fresh carrots and aromatic spices, topped with an orange-spiked cream cheese icing. So perfect, a total crowd-pleasing, impressive cake! I also know that people have strong opinions about the mix-ins for their carrot cake, to which I say: MIX IN WHATEVER YOU WANT. Prefer walnuts over pecans? Throw them in. Like raisins in your carrot cake slice? Add ’em. Think pineapple is sacrilegious and has no place near your pizza or your cake? Leave it out. This is like a choose-your-own-adventure cake. There is no wrong thing to leave out or mix in.

This truly is the BEST EVER Carrot Cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake filled with juicy pineapple, crunchy pecans, fresh carrots and aromatic spices, topped with an orange-spiked cream cheese icing. So perfect, a total crowd-pleasing, impressive cake! That said, I did find that this cake was perfect with some crunchy pecans & sweet pineapple. Next time I think I’ll add in some coconut, too! (< And yes, there will be a next time!)

Enjoy!!

This truly is the BEST EVER Carrot Cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake filled with juicy pineapple, crunchy pecans, fresh carrots and aromatic spices, topped with an orange-spiked cream cheese icing. So perfect, a total crowd-pleasing, impressive cake!

5.0 from 1 reviews
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The Best Ever Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Author: 
Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-18
 
This carrot cake recipe truly is the BEST carrot cake I've ever had and converted me into becoming a carrot cake lover! So supremely moist, fluffy and delicious. Add or omit mix-ins to suit your preference, but this cake has pineapple and pecans which give it ample flavor.
Ingredients
  • One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ⅛th tsp ground cloves
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (may substitute walnuts)
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • (If you want raisins, add ¾ - 1 cup of raisins, optional)
  • FOR THE FROSTING:
  • One 8-ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp orange juice
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 3 - 3 & ½ cups powdered sugar
  • Additional chopped pecans for garnish, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pineapple and eggs until combined. Whisk in the sugars, oil, and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients until a cohesive batter comes together. Fold in the pecans, carrots, and raisins (if using) until combined.
  3. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the orange juice and gradually add in the powdered sugar, about one cup at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy, streaming in the heavy cream as needed.
  5. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake and sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans, if using. Store covered in the fridge.
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This truly is the BEST EVER Carrot Cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake filled with juicy pineapple, crunchy pecans, fresh carrots and aromatic spices, topped with an orange-spiked cream cheese icing. So perfect, a total crowd-pleasing, impressive cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake packed with juicy pineapple and crunchy pecans and topped with a glorious orange-spiked cream cheese icing. There is nothing better!

This truly is the BEST EVER Carrot Cake! Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake filled with juicy pineapple, crunchy pecans, fresh carrots and aromatic spices, topped with an orange-spiked cream cheese icing. So perfect, a total crowd-pleasing, impressive cake! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

Sweet Cream Gooey Bars

March 28, 2017 5 Comments

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelightThese Sweet Cream Gooey Bars taste just like sweet cream & vanilla bean ice cream in one gooey, chewy, outrageously delicious bar and are made EASY with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer!

So for the longest time, I was a coffee faker.

What’s a coffee faker? It’s someone who says they like coffee to impress people but secretly don’t even drink it because it’s too strong. (Being a teenager is hard, okay? I had to impress people where I could… even if it was lying about a coffee obsession.)

My “coffee” was limited to frappes at the local coffee shop which didn’t even have coffee in them. I only got them because I loved all the fun flavors available.

…And then I was introduced to coffee creamers, and my life has changed dramatically for the better, obviously. I started slowly introducing coffee into my morning routine, filled with copious amounts of coffee creamer (AKA, the only way to drink coffee, in my not-so-humble opinion). And to this day, I still can’t have a cup o’ joe without having coffee creamer. It’s, well, the creamer to my coffee. The peanut butter to my jelly. The dog to my bone. You get it, right?

Anyway, as a new ambassador for International Delight, I am SO EXCITED to be bringing you fun recipes made with coffee creamer! If you’ve only considered creamer good for coffee, I’m about to blow your mind, y’all. Coffee creamer is an excellent addition to so many desserts – think about adding it instead of milk to milkshakes as a baby-steps option… and then come back and quickly make these Sweet Cream Gooey Bars!

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelightSo I bet you’re wondering what my favorite coffee creamer flavor is… and hands-down, it’s Sweet Cream. There’s something about that vanilla-y, ice cream-y flavor that’s so irresistible to me. I just can’t have my coffee without it!

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelightThese bars are made with International Delight’s Sweet Cream Creamer IN THE FILLING which imparts such a wonderful, creamy, almost melted ice-cream flavor to these bars. Combined with vanilla bean, these bars taste like your favorite ice cream parlor’s vanilla ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form. SO delicious!

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelightAnd if you’re looking for an awesome Easter recipe… may I suggest these bars!? Topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar and studded with fresh vanilla bean seeds, they’re elegant and perfect for a springtime fete. Serve them up on a gorgeous tiered cake stand so guests can help themselves to a piece to snack on alongside their coffee.

Enjoy, coffee lovers & fakers alike! 🙂

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelight

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Sweet Cream Gooey Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-18
 
These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are one of my new favorite recipes! The filling is so gooey and fabulous and tastes just like melty vanilla ice cream from your favorite upscale parlor.
Ingredients
  • FOR THE BASE:
  • 1 box French vanilla or white cake mix
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • FOR THE FILLING:
  • One 8 ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • One 16 ounce box powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste (or sub 2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • ⅓ International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • Additional powdered sugar for dusting on baked bars, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13” rectangular baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Mix together the crust ingredients until a soft dough comes together. Press into the prepared pan in an even layer; set aside briefly.
  3. Cream the cream cheese until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl if needed. Beat in the powdered sugar, followed by the creamer, melted butter, and vanilla bean paste.
  4. Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 37-45 minutes or until mostly set. If the center jiggles slightly, that’s okay – you don’t want to over-bake them as they’ll continue to set as they cool.
  5. Cool completely then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set. Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving.
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These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelightBe sure to follow International Delight on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram, and sign up to receive International Delight’s emails for tips, recipes & more!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

 
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Bars, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

The Best Vanilla Bean Pound Cake

March 24, 2017 4 Comments

This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle!If you’re on the search party for a fantastic vanilla pound cake recipe, I’ve got you covered. This Best-Ever Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is moist, fluffy, and delectable on its own or topped with freshly whipped cream and berries.

YOU GUYS.

This pound cake is EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING, I tell you!

And it’s SO EASY. I promise.

Most of you wouldn’t know, but I have an issue with the 9″ loaf pan.

Growing up, we had glass loaf pans and we also never used them because nobody cooked in my house. I’m certain my mom bought them as an illusion so guests would think she spent weekends gently mixing together banana bread batter before feeding her children with the fruits of her labor.

(Although on second thought, what guest would be rummaging through our kitchen cupboards on a solo mission to find loaf pans? Not even I would do that, and I’m hella weird.)

ANYWAY. Once I started baking, I realized I really don’t like glass loaf pans because they never consistently cooked my banana bread. The bottom would be overcooked and the top would be wonky. It was just this whole thing and I really despised those pans, so I started using disposable foil pans.

Those are a game-changer! First, it’s easy to pawn off your treats because you don’t have to worry about whether or not your friend will hoard your Great Aunt Milly’s precious antique loaf pan for too long, and you can just toss ’em or even wipe them clean and reuse them afterward.

This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle!But then I went out and bought myself a nice light metal loaf pan thinking I would be left with the glass loaf pan curse. I baked this in my new loaf pan, basically putting a voodoo hex on the pound cake before I even put it in the oven because I am cynical.

But it worked! Oh, did it work. This cake is GLORIOUS. And of course, this recipe will work with any pan you have but with likely *slighty* different results. When baking loaves of things (banana bread, pound cake, meatloaf) I really recommend using a lighter metal baking pan as it personally bakes more consistently to me. Dark pans tend to cook faster, and glass pans – well, it depends on what the Farmers Almanac says for that day because glass pans just dumbfound me, y’all.

(Side note: I know that’s going to be on my tombstone. Hayley Parker – Glass Pans Dumbfounded Her)

This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle!ANYWAY, no matter how ya slice it, you’re going to want to bake this Vanilla Bean Pound Cake. It is so supremely moist and flavorful, with little flecks of vanilla bean swirled throughout in every bite. It’s the perfect thing to snack on straight-up, but it’s also an amazing vehicle for dressing up freshly whipped cream and assorted berries for a lovely dessert, or cube it up and toss it in a trifle.

This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle!What are you waiting for? Find your trusty pan and make it!

This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle!*adapted from Southern Lady Magazine

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The Best Vanilla Bean Pound Cake
Author: 
Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 9
 
This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake truly is the BEST pound cake I've ever had or made! Moist, buttery, delicious cake with a tender crumb and beautiful flecks of vanilla beans swirled throughout every bite.
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 & ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (I recommend Rodelle vanilla beans)
  • 1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • Fresh whipped cream or whipped topping and berries for serving, optional but recommended
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a 9" rectangular loaf pan with cooking spray lightly. Place a piece of parchment in the pan and up the sides and spray again. This will make the cake much easier to lift out.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla bean seeds to combine, followed by half of the flour.
  3. Mix together the vanilla extract and the heavy cream and pour half into the mixer, beating on low speed until incorporated. Follow with the remaining flour and lastly, the remaining heavy cream mixture until a soft batter has come together. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
  4. Bake for approx. 1 hour to 1 hr 15 mins or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist - not wet - crumbs. Cool completely before slicing. NOTE: If you notice halfway through the baking time that the cake is browning too quickly, loosely tent the top of the loaf pan with foil.
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This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle!Moist, flavorful, tender pound cake bursting with fresh flecks of aromatic vanilla beans. This pound cake is SO divine!

This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is the BEST pound cake recipe! Moist, buttery, fluffy & tender pound cake swirled with fresh vanilla bean flecks for a super flavorful, outstandingly EASY cake recipe! Serve with fresh whipped cream & fruit or cube it for a trifle! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

 

Filed Under: Cake, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

March 7, 2017 4 Comments

These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are some of the BEST cupcakes I've EVER had! Buttery, zesty lemon cakes are topped with a to-die for creamy & light coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut. Easy, perfect for spring, and so fabulous!These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are as tasty as they are festive! Fluffy & moist lemon cupcakes topped with the most amazing coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut.

You guys.

Normally I’m a cake girl through-and-through. I really couldn’t care less for frosting. It’s usually overly sweet – sickening almost – and piled on so high that I can basically feel my teeth falling out.

As a kid, I’d get a slice of birthday cake at a friend’s party and use the fork to scrape allllll the icing off to one side of the plate. I’d then get a new fork (since the first was tainted with frosting, obvi) and eat the bare cake, handing the frosting remnants to my mom, who happily ate straight buttercream.

Clearly I didn’t inherit that gene.

But this frosting – this wonderfully sweet and nutty and creamy frosting – is to-die for. No joke.

I could not. stop. eating. the frosting.

The frosting is the same frosting I made a trillion years ago for my Triple Coconut Cupcakes. It’s light and creamy and fluffy and just totally perfect. And it’s made with a surprise ingredient: coconut instant pudding mix!

If you can’t find the pudding mix, simply make a coconut whipped cream frosting, but I really think the pudding adds a wonderful extra dose of coconut flavor, and makes the frosting extra creamy & smooth. Try it my way just once – I have a feeling you won’t go back 🙂

These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are some of the BEST cupcakes I've EVER had! Buttery, zesty lemon cakes are topped with a to-die for creamy & light coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut. Easy, perfect for spring, and so fabulous!In fact, I gave these cupcakes to my sweetie pie downstairs neighbor who declared these the BEST cupcakes she’s ever had. Just sayin’!

These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are some of the BEST cupcakes I've EVER had! Buttery, zesty lemon cakes are topped with a to-die for creamy & light coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut. Easy, perfect for spring, and so fabulous!The frosting sits atop a buttery, zesty lemon cupcake that’s moist and has a lovely, tender crumb. It’s bright and fruity from the fresh lemon zest swirled throughout and makes for a great tart contrast to the sweet & nutty frosting. And of course, the whole thing is dredged in toasted coconut because toasted coconut = life.

Now I don’t know about you, but I need a cupcake.

These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are some of the BEST cupcakes I've EVER had! Buttery, zesty lemon cakes are topped with a to-die for creamy & light coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut. Easy, perfect for spring, and so fabulous!

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Lemon Coconut Cupcakes
Author: 
Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 16-18
 
These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are moist, fluffy and so dang delicious! The creamy coconut frosting is TO DIE FOR!!
Ingredients
  • FOR THE CUPCAKES:
  • 1 box lemon cake mix
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup oil
  • 3 eggs
  • One 3.4 ounce box INSTANT dry lemon pudding mix
  • Zest of one lemon
  • FOR THE FROSTING & TOPPING:
  • One 3.4 ounce box INSTANT dry coconut cream pudding mix
  • 1 cup cold milk
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 4 ounces whipped cream cheese (about ½ of a tub)
  • 2 cups whipped topping or fresh whipped cream
  • About 2 cups toasted coconut for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with 16-18 paper liners. Set aside.
  2. Beat the cake mix, water, lemon juice, oil, eggs, lemon pudding mix and lemon zest together with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Portion the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling about ¾ full.
  3. Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
  4. While the cupcakes bake, make the frosting: Whisk together the coconut cream pudding mix, the milk, and the powdered sugar together until thickened, about 2 minutes. Beat in the coconut extract and whipped cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream/topping. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set.
  5. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and cover the frosting with the toasted coconut. Store in the fridge, covered.
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These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are some of the BEST cupcakes I've EVER had! Buttery, zesty lemon cakes are topped with a to-die for creamy & light coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut. Easy, perfect for spring, and so fabulous!Lemony, zesty cupcakes topped with that heavenly coconut pudding frosting… this recipe is a must-make for springtime!

These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are some of the BEST cupcakes I've EVER had! Buttery, zesty lemon cakes are topped with a to-die for creamy & light coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut. Easy, perfect for spring, and so fabulous! Have a super sweet Tuesday!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Coconut, Cupcakes, Easter, Everything!, Holiday, Lemon

Easy Jell-O Divinity Candy

March 2, 2017 8 Comments

This EASY JELL-O DIVINITY is so simple to make with my step-by-step recipe! Fruity-flavored and pastel-colored divinity candy made with Jell-O. Light, surprisingly fudgy and nougat-y candy in flavors of the rainbow! Great for Easter, or springtime! If you love classic divinity for Christmas, you’ll fall fast for this Easy Jell-O Divinity for Easter & springtime! Super simple, gorgeous colors, and fun flavors that make for an unexpected treat everyone will love.

So generally speaking, I’m a pretty observant person.

You could say I have great attention to detail. That, combined with my perfectionism is the perfect ratio for daily anxiety attacks. (Kind of kidding). But it also means I notice things a lot of people don’t. And because I was raised to be super suspicious (thanks, Mom), that combined with my eye for detail makes me a double whammy in the paying-attention department.

So I have this neighbor, right? And they drive a one of those big economy vans. And the van advertises for house cleaning but literally says nothing else. In big, black letters on the side: HOUSE CLEANING with a generic picture of a woman holding a hand-held vacuum cleaner – and the woman isn’t even wearing a maid or cleaning uniform. It’s just some chick holding a little Dirt Devil on the side of a van.

But – you guys, I’m not kidding – ALL the van says is “HOUSE CLEANING” on both sides. No business name, no business license number, no phone number, no address, no follow-us-on-Facebook, no catchy slogan, NOTHING. Just: “HOUSE CLEANING.”

So now it has me wondering – is this “house cleaning” van a rouse for something? Are my neighbors FBI agents working undercover in this covert operation? Are they CIA and getting ready to ambush a suspect? Are they Russian spies? Are they alien hunters, convinced one walks among us in my little neighborhood? Are they storm chasers and that’s the only van they could use? Are they serial killers in disguise? Or are they really house cleaners with a terrible business model that involves me googling all “house cleaning” services in my area, trying to match up my neighbor’s van with a real business?

But now I’m SUPER freaked that they’ll read this and be onto me and then they’ll like, take me to some abandoned warehouse and force me to write a positive Yelp review for their house cleaning services. “They’re legit!”, I’ll type with tears streaming down my face as they hold the suction part of the vacuum close enough to my face that the hair on my head stands up without quite being sucked in. “I’d hire them again and again for their excellent cleaning services!” “Press ENTER and SAVE IT TO YOUR PROFILE,” they’ll demand before they switch off the Dirt Devil and release me into the wild.

Who knows. But I’m onto them. But I’m also like, will you vacuum my whole house – including the stairs – for free and I promise I won’t blow your cover? (Kind of kidding).

This EASY JELL-O DIVINITY is so simple to make with my step-by-step recipe! Fruity-flavored and pastel-colored divinity candy made with Jell-O. Light, surprisingly fudgy and nougat-y candy in flavors of the rainbow! Great for Easter, or springtime! ANYWAY. When I’m not being suspicious of strange business models, I’m making candy – specifically this Easy Jell-O Divinity. And I’m here today to tell you A) not to be scared of divinity, as it’s just a harmless little blob of nougat-y, fudgy goodness, and B) it’s not just a Christmas candy anymore!

This EASY JELL-O DIVINITY is so simple to make with my step-by-step recipe! Fruity-flavored and pastel-colored divinity candy made with Jell-O. Light, surprisingly fudgy and nougat-y candy in flavors of the rainbow! Great for Easter, or springtime! This Jell-O Divinity is made with – you guessed it – fruity Jell-O powder which gives it that gorgeous pastel color and wonderful fruity flavor. The best part is, you can use whatever Jell-O you prefer, so this is totally customizable to your favorite flavors. I went with Strawberry, Lime, and Orange because those were classic, but these would be so delicious with Grape, Lemon, Berry Blue, or even one of the fun Jell-O flavors like Watermelon or Strawberry Banana. Or BLACK CHERRY. OMG. BRB, making Black Cherry Divinity!

This recipe is my basic Divinity recipe I posted back in December but just slightly tweaked. The result is an easy, fudgy, unique candy everyone will flip for!

This EASY JELL-O DIVINITY is so simple to make with my step-by-step recipe! Fruity-flavored and pastel-colored divinity candy made with Jell-O. Light, surprisingly fudgy and nougat-y candy in flavors of the rainbow! Great for Easter, or springtime!

4.8 from 4 reviews
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Easy Jell-O Divinity Candy
Author: 
Recipe type: Candy
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-18
 
This Easy Jell-O Divinity is so fun! The Jell-O flavors the divinity candy and turns it gorgeous rainbow colors. Wonderful for springtime and especially Easter!
Ingredients
  • FOR ONE BATCH OF DIVINITY (one flavor per batch):
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 & ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • One 3-ounce box Jell-O (any flavor of your choice - I made strawberry, lime, and orange, but you can use whatever flavor you prefer!)
Instructions
  1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar, water, and corn syrup together, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 260 degrees F, about 7-10 minutes.
  3. Just before the corn syrup mixture reaches temperature, whip your egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle in the Jell-O powder & salt and beat again until incorporated.
  4. With the mixer running on medium-low, slowly drizzle in the hot corn syrup mixture. This should take you a good minute or two as you want to incorporate it very slowly. Once the hot corn syrup mixture is fully in the mixing bowl, increase the mixing speed to medium-high and continue beating until the candy is no longer glossy and the candy holds its shape, about 6-10 minutes. You can absolutely test one scoop of the candy onto the parchment paper - if it holds up, it's ready.
  5. Grease two spoons with cooking spray and scoop out the candy onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Flick your wrists gently to get the little swoops in the candy. You can make the candy as big or small as you'd like; mine were about 2 Tablespoon-sized. Repeat, working quickly, with remaining candy.
  6. Allow candy to set, at room temperature for 2-3 hours or preferably overnight until firm to the touch. Store remaining candy in an airtight container.
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This EASY JELL-O DIVINITY is so simple to make with my step-by-step recipe! Fruity-flavored and pastel-colored divinity candy made with Jell-O. Light, surprisingly fudgy and nougat-y candy in flavors of the rainbow! Great for Easter, or springtime! I love the bright pop of color and the unexpected fruity flavor of these fudgy, nougat-y little morsels of heaven! These would make excellent Easter gifts, wrapped in little cellophane bags. 🙂

This EASY JELL-O DIVINITY is so simple to make with my step-by-step recipe! Fruity-flavored and pastel-colored divinity candy made with Jell-O. Light, surprisingly fudgy and nougat-y candy in flavors of the rainbow! Great for Easter, or springtime! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

 

 

Filed Under: Candy, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

No-Bake Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

February 28, 2017 1 Comment

This Frozen No-Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is so phenomenal! Creamy, smooth, dreamy, strawberry-flavored perfection made with frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Only a few ingredients, so easy and tastes great frozen or chilled in the fridge. This No-Bake Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is wonderful! Smooth & creamy and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, it’s great for spring and summertime and is entirely no-bake!

So when I was a kid, I was obsessed with the idea of being older.

My parents love telling the story that when I was 3 years old and people asked me how old I was, I would dead-pan “I’m 9.”

When I was a kid and my family & I would go out to dinner, I would always order a “virgin” strawberry daiquiri to seem like I was this experienced old soul who knew allthethings about fine alcoholic beverages.

When I was entering middle school, my new school was called a “middle school.” But because I watched Degrassi fervently, I knew some middle schools were called “junior high schools” and so therefore I told everyone I knew I was entering “junior high school” because it sounded more mature.

When I was in high school, I liked an older guy for a long time and was obsessed with the idea of looking older and more mature so he wouldn’t think I was just a dumb freshman girl with a crush.

And when I turned 18, I wanted everyone to know I was an ADULT, DANGIT, and made sure everyone knew. (Side note: I know I must be wonderful to be around. *eye roll*)

But back to my childhood days of ordering alcoholic beverages minus the booze – strawberry daiquiris were my favorite drink to order as a kid. I remember vividly going to Red Lobster with my fam and looking through their drink menu like I was some 10 year old booze-hound, poring over the pictures and descriptions of the colorful, umbrella-clad drinks. A lot of the drinks are virtually impossible to make virgin, but strawberry daiquiris were an easy one to blend up sans the booze, so it became a staple for me. It felt like such a huge graduation from childish Shirley Temples.

This Frozen No-Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is so phenomenal! Creamy, smooth, dreamy, strawberry-flavored perfection made with frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Only a few ingredients, so easy and tastes great frozen or chilled in the fridge. But as I actually became older, I stopped ordering fancy bar drinks and settled for plain ol’ Diet Cokes and iced teas. Now that I’m 26 and trying to slow down time, I barely order alcohol anymore because I’d rather spend the extra cash on a bangin’ dessert instead.

To be honest, in the last 15 years I’ve forgotten about strawberry daiquiris until recently when I was grocery shopping. I spotted the frozen strawberry daiquiri drink mix in the freezer case and instantly those memories rushed back to me like the flood gates had opened. There I was, a freak holding a strawberry daiquiri frozen drink mix having a reverie in the frozen foods aisle of Safeway, thinking about ways to use this drink mix when it hit me: PIE.

This Frozen No-Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is so phenomenal! Creamy, smooth, dreamy, strawberry-flavored perfection made with frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Only a few ingredients, so easy and tastes great frozen or chilled in the fridge. This pie is such a cinch to whip up and is SO tasty. It’s creamy, smooth, flavorful and fresh and tastes amazing frozen or chilled in the fridge, though it’s required to be frozen to set at first. I topped mine with dollops of fresh whipped cream, but this would be excellent drizzled with chocolate sauce, additional strawberry sundae sauce, or even white chocolate. The world’s your oyster, kid.

Now let’s all take a bite and reminisce about our childhoods, ‘kay?

This Frozen No-Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is so phenomenal! Creamy, smooth, dreamy, strawberry-flavored perfection made with frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Only a few ingredients, so easy and tastes great frozen or chilled in the fridge.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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No-Bake Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Pie
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8-10
 
This Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is phenomenal! Creamy, dreamy, smooth pie flavored with strawberries. A wonderful staple for spring or summertime!
Ingredients
  • One 9" Nilla Wafer pie crust
  • One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 6 ounces frozen strawberry daiquiri drink mix, slightly thawed
  • 1 tsp strawberry extract
  • One 8-ounce tub Cool Whip, thawed
  • Additional whipped cream and fresh strawberries for garnish, optional but recommended
Instructions
  1. Cream the cream cheese, condensed milk, strawberry daiquiri drink mix and strawberry extract together with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Continue beating for 2 more minutes until mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
  2. Fold in the Cool Whip until mixture is fully incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and smooth out the top. Carefully place in the freezer and freeze until firm and solid, about 3-4 hours.
  3. Just before serving, garnish with additional whipped cream and halved strawberry slices, or serve with chocolate or white chocolate sauce. You may store the pie in the freezer for about 1 week (the fresh berries on top may not last that long), or keep covered in the fridge for about 1-2 days.
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This Frozen No-Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is so phenomenal! Creamy, smooth, dreamy, strawberry-flavored perfection made with frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Only a few ingredients, so easy and tastes great frozen or chilled in the fridge. I love how creamy, fabulous and utterly delicious this pie is! I took it to my apartment manager’s office and it went fast. It’s a total hit!

This Frozen No-Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Pie is so phenomenal! Creamy, smooth, dreamy, strawberry-flavored perfection made with frozen strawberry daiquiri mix. Only a few ingredients, so easy and tastes great frozen or chilled in the fridge. Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

 

 

Filed Under: Easter, Everything!, Holiday, No-Bake, Pie, Valentine's Day

Watergate Lush Dessert

December 9, 2016 2 Comments

No-Bake Watergate Lush Dessert: pecan shortbread cookie crust, smooth & fluffy pistachio pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped cream and pecans combine to make this light, fluffy, EASY dessert! Have you heard of Watergate Salad before? It’s a mixture between pistachio pudding, pineapple and pecans and it’s fabulous! This Watergate Lush Dessert is sure to please and a fun twist on the classic!

So this dessert.

If you’re an American (well, you probably know even if you aren’t from the States), you probably know about the Watergate Scandal.

I’m not going to go into politics, so I’ll spare ya the details, but basically from the scandal came… a salad?

Still not sure how the two are linked. But I digress.

From the scandal has come the salad, originated from Kraft Foods called a Pistachio Pineapple Delight. Someone down the line renamed it “Watergate Salad” and the rest was history.

Then some ladies made a Watergate Cake and their reasoning was: “the frosting is a ‘cover-up’ and it’s filled with nuts.” Good enough for me!

So back to this lush: It’s a cover-up filled with pistachio and pineapple… and it’s filled with nuts. Voila! History is explained, one dessert at a time. You’re welcome, historians.

Admittedly, this flavor combination is a little old-fashioned. In my lifetime I’d never heard of Watergate Salad until I was a food blogger in the last 6 years. BUT it’s intrigued me ever since, and now I’m glad to have made this Lush to try it out. Hey, those people are onto something, because there’s something very uniquely delicious about this wild combination. And of course, the bright green color.

No-Bake Watergate Lush Dessert: pecan shortbread cookie crust, smooth & fluffy pistachio pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped cream and pecans combine to make this light, fluffy, EASY dessert! It’s just like my other lush desserts, which starts with a cookie crust. For this, I used pecan shortbread (aka, Pecan Sandies) cookies. I topped it off with a creamy, fluffy pistachio & pineapple filling and topped that with whipped cream and pecans. (Traditionally, the salad also has miniature marshmallows… but I decided to let people decide if they wanted to top the salad with the marshmallows). It’s unexpected, it’s unique, and it’s totally something you should make once in your lifetime, even if you never grew up with Watergate Salad.

I’m thinking I’m going to Watergate everything from now on, ‘kay?

No-Bake Watergate Lush Dessert: pecan shortbread cookie crust, smooth & fluffy pistachio pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped cream and pecans combine to make this light, fluffy, EASY dessert!

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Watergate Lush Dessert
Author: 
Recipe type: No Bake
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 9
 
This Watergate Lush Dessert is a unique combination of flavors! Pistachio, pecans and pineapple combine to make a fluffy, no-bake treat!
Ingredients
  • 1 (11 oz) pkg pecan shortbread cookies (such as Pecan Sandies), coarsely crushed
  • 5 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 (3.4-3.9 oz) pkg instant pistachio pudding mix
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅔ cup crushed pineapple, well drained
  • 1 (16 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed & divided
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. Lightly grease an 8x8" square pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the coarse cookie crumbs and butter until moistened. Press evenly into the prepared pan and set aside.
  2. Wipe out the bowl and add in the pistachio pudding mix and the milk. Whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes. Fold in the pineapple and 2 cups of the Cool Whip until combined and fluffy.
  3. Spread the filling into the prepared pan in an even layer. Top with the remaining Cool Whip and the pecans.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until set. Cut into squares to serve.
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No-Bake Watergate Lush Dessert: pecan shortbread cookie crust, smooth & fluffy pistachio pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped cream and pecans combine to make this light, fluffy, EASY dessert! Fluffy, smooth, creamy and packed with flavor, this unique lush dessert will be sure to please everyone who tries it!

No-Bake Watergate Lush Dessert: pecan shortbread cookie crust, smooth & fluffy pistachio pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped cream and pecans combine to make this light, fluffy, EASY dessert! Have a super sweet weekend!

xo, Hayley

 

Filed Under: Christmas, Easter, Everything!, Holiday, No-Bake

Easy Homemade Divinity Candy

November 30, 2016 23 Comments

This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe! This Easy Homemade Divinity is incredible! Smooth, fudgy and delectable, this snow-white candy is surprisingly simple to make!

So confession: I’ve only had divinity one time before this, and it was from a local favorite, See’s Candies. Maybe you’ve heard of them?

I also had an ex-boyfriend whose grandma loved divinity, and I remember giving her a box for Christmas. So for me, divinity has always kind of felt like a Christmas candy recipe. Maybe I’m wrong, but there’s something so holiday-ish about divinity. It’s snow-white, which is shocking for a candy, and it looks like little melty snowballs. Plus, it’s kind of like a fudge, which always reminds me of the holidays.

If you don’t know, divinity is typically popular in the South and was invented (we think) by Karo corn syrup as a way to market their new product. It’s a cross between fudge, nougat and meringue and is totally unique and unparalleled. It’s so unlike the usual barks, brittles and fudges that are usually found around this time of year, and if you’ve never made it, I highly recommend you do!

The cool thing about this recipe is it can be customized to your preferences, too. I went with a traditional vanilla pecan divinity, but you can replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract and add in shredded coconut, or use walnuts instead of pecans. Up to you!

This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe! This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe! Whatever you do, make yourself a tin of these and thank me later!

*Some Notes: in researching this recipe, I found that a lot of people advise against making this candy on a humid day, such as when it’s raining. The humidity can supposedly affect the way the candy sets up and dries, which is essential for divinity. I have not tested this theory, but I would just heed caution and try and make it on a low-humidity day. 

This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe! *adapted from here 

4.3 from 6 reviews
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Easy Homemade Divinity Candy
Author: 
Recipe type: Candy
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12-16
 
This Easy Divinity Candy is SO fabulous and perfect for the holidays! Easier than you think to make, it comes together relatively quickly and is great for giving as gifts!
Ingredients
  • 2 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 2 & ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat together the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7-10 minutes or until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. Just before the candy reaches temperature, beat the egg whites on high speed using an electric mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  3. Remove the boiling candy from the heat and, with the mixer on high speed, stream in the hot candy VERY slowly. It should take you at least 2 or so minutes to fully pour the hot candy mixture into the egg whites. Continue beating the mixture until it's no longer glossy and it holds its shape, about 6-10 minutes (it depends on your mixer). Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. Butter two spoons (or grease them lightly with cooking spray) and, working quickly, drop rounded Tablespoonfuls of the divinity mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. You may need to scrape the candy mixture off of one spoon with the other spoon, then quickly flick your wrist to create a soft curl (like soft serve) on top of the candy. It's okay if you don't get it quite right!
  5. Allow the candy to set at room temperature - maybe overnight, depending on the humidity in your home - until dry to the touch and no longer sticky. Once set and dry, you can keep it at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  6. NOTES: It is totally okay to take a small teaspoon-sized spoon of candy and test it on the parchment before doing the larger scoops. The divinity is ready when it holds its shape in a mound on the parchment paper. If it turns into a puddle, continue beating the mixture.
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This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe! Chewy & soft, like nougat-meets-fudge, this is a must-try this holiday season!

This Easy Homemade Divinity Candy is fantastic and so great for the holidays! Chewy, soft, melt-in-your-mouth candy that's a cross between nougat and fudge with vanilla and pecans. A must-make recipe! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Christmas, Easter, Everything!, Fudge, Holiday, No-Bake, Treats
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