Calling all chocolate/peanut butter lovers! This Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Fudge is a total GAME CHANGER!!! Bite-size pieces of soft and creamy peanut butter fudge coated in a smooth chocolate shell.

You guys, I am SCREAMING!

I am SO, SO, SO happy with this recipe and could barely wait to share it with you!

I am in the home stretch of my holiday baking for my blog (this will be the last week until after Christmas!) but I had to share this one ASAP because it is just too good. I mean, chocolate-covered FUDGE?! How is this not a huge food trend already?!

Not only will this *elevate* your Christmas cookie trays, but everyone will be so WOWED at the idea of chocolate-covered fudge! When coming up with this recipe, I decided on peanut butter fudge because who doesn’t love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter? It’s a natural pairing, so it had to be done. But this would work with a vanilla fudge, too!

It couldn’t be easier to make, but there is some time where it chills so this isn’t a super fast recipe – plan ahead! To start, you’ll make your fudge! It begins with the regular fudge ingredients: granulated sugar, marshmallow fluff, evaporated milk, and some butter. Boil it together for a few minutes, then stir in some peanut butter chips, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Once it is all cohesive and melted together, pour it into a lined and greased 9×9 square pan, smooth out the top, and pop that fudge in the fridge to set. The fudge is kinda runny at first and really sticky, so it needs a couple hours to chill out in the fridge so it sets properly.

Then, you’ll cut the fudge into squares and freeze them – this makes it so the fudge doesn’t melt into the warmed melted chocolate coating and holds its shape better. Dunk the frozen fudge pieces into the melted chocolate candy coating, allow the excess to drip off, and return them to a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. With any leftover chocolate, I drizzled over the tops to make them look extra festive and pretty. I also did a few with Christmas sprinkles – how cute, right?

The fudge itself reminds me of the center of a peanut butter cup – supremely creamy, soft, and peanut buttery – but the chocolate coating sends it over the edge.

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Fudge, where have you been all our lives?!

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Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Fudge

This Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Fudge is seriously AMAZING and so easy to make! Creamy, soft and peanut buttery fudge enrobed in a milk chocolate shell.

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 25 pieces (approx)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups granulated white sugar
• 7 oz (1 jar) marshmallow creme/fluff
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 12 oz (1 bag) peanut butter chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 16 oz (1 package) chocolate Candiquik or almond bark

Instructions

• Line a 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan with foil or parchment, then lightly grease the foil or parchment; set aside.
• In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, marshmallow fluff, evaporated milk and cubed butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter chips, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until combined and melted together.
• Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Let stand for about 10-20 minutes to cool down some, then place in the refrigerator to chill and set, about 2 hours. Once chilled and set, remove from the pan and cut into squares, trimming off any rough edges with a sharp knife. Since this fudge is sticky, I recommend wetting your knife with HOT water, then wiping the water off and using the hot knife to cut, repeating after each cut. I got about 25 pieces of fudge, doing 5 rows by 5 rows (and trimming the edges). Place the squares of fudge onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Melt your candy coating according to package directions, or until smooth. Use a fork to lower a piece of semi-frozen fudge into the candy coating and toss to coat. Allow excess chocolate coating to drip off of the fork, then carefully slide the coated fudge piece back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with coating the remaining fudge pieces. With any leftover chocolate, drizzle over the set chocolate fudge pieces, or top with sprinkles while coating is still wet.

Notes

I used Reese's brand peanut butter chips for this recipe, but any peanut butter chips should do. 

Fudge keeps in the fridge best for about 4 days, but can be stored covered at room temperature for about 2-3 days. 

Creamy, soft, peanut buttery and chocolaty fudge – you all are going to love this!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Fudge first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

This White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge is the ultimate holiday candy! Sweet and creamy white chocolate fudge with juicy bits of bejeweled cranberries swirled throughout. Simple, perfect and so delicious!

I dunno about you, but I am trying to plan all of my edible gifts this year for neighbors, my apartment complex office people, and friends. I always low-key stress over this because I am a recovering perfectionist and always want to give ALL the things. You would be 1000% correct if you guessed my love language is acts of service, because I am always trying to give the best gifts. In fact, I have been told many times I am a pretty good gift-giver… and I feel the pressure!

In my treat boxes for my neighbors and friends, I always try to make a good selection to please a little bit of everyone. Of course, even when I have the option to choose say, five different treats, I still worry about which ones to pick! What can I say, there’s always a very good selection! However, once I tasted this White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge, I knew it definitely had a concrete spot in my top 5 for gifting!

This fudge is SO creamy. Like, unbelievably creamy. It’s super sweet – as most white chocolate desserts are – and has a lovely almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. To counter some of the sweet bite, I added some sweetened dried cranberries which add a gorgeous bejeweled pop of color and a little tartness that pairs so beautifully with the white chocolate. This fudge is ultra simple to make, but it packs a delicious punch because it’s SO purely perfect with the white chocolate and cranberry.

Creamy and sweet with tangy cranberries bursting throughout – this White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge is the epitome of Christmas!

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White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge

This White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge is absolutely incredible! Not only is it super simple to make, it tastes delicious with creamy and sweet white chocolate and bejeweled, tart cranberries.

Course Candy, No Bake Desserts

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 36 pieces

Ingredients

• 1½ cups granulated white sugar
• 7 oz (One 7oz jar) marshmallow creme/fluff
• ⅔ cup evaporated milk
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Instructions

• Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil with some cooking spray; set aside.
• In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, add in the granulated sugar, marshmallow creme, evaporated milk, salt, and butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the white chocolate chips and vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Fold in the cranberries.
• Pour the hot fudge mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set before cutting into squares.

Notes

Since white chocolate is the star of this recipe, definitely splurge for a higher quality white chocolate chip, such as Guittard or Ghirardelli. Trust me, it will make a difference in the flavor and creaminess! 

You guys are going to love this sweet and sinful fudge!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

It’s officially fudge season and this Chocolate Walnut Fudge is the best recipe I’ve tried! Sweet, chewy yet soft and studded with buttery walnuts, they’re super chocolaty and delicious!

So okay, I don’t know if fudge actually has a “season” per se, but in my opinion it does and we are officially in fudge season!

Growing up every year we’d go to a local network of apple orchards called Apple Hill, about an hour outside of Sacramento. It’s just a nice little day-trip escape where the weather’s usually a little cooler, you can peruse local artists’ shops and grab some apple cider and apple pie! They also have this little shop called the “Fudge Shop” where you can get AMAZING caramel apples and just about any kind of fudge you can dream of.

Despite the fact that they offer a plethora of fudge flavors, I am very traditional and love nothing more than a chocolate nut fudge. I personally think the combination of silky, creamy chocolate and nutty, buttery nuts are just too irresistible, so I never venture to try a more adventurous flavor.

This Chocolate Walnut Fudge is going to be a go-to recipe for the holiday season since you can cut them into small enough pieces to stretch the recipe for gifts or parties! Place them in a wax-paper-lined small trinket box to give away or arrange them on a dessert-themed “charcuterie” board for a get-together. Super simple to make, it comes together pretty quickly and tastes AMAZING!

This fudge has two types of chocolate for a good, well-rounded chocolate flavor: semi-sweet and milk chocolate. You can use all of one or the other, but I like the depth using two different kinds gives the fudge. This is a typical fudge recipe using evaporated milk (make sure you’re using evaporated and not sweetened condensed!) and marshmallow creme. In fact, you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand! For this particular recipe, I used walnuts – but pecans, almonds or hazelnuts would be equally delicious. If using almonds or hazelnuts, chop them smaller since they aren’t as soft as pecans or walnuts.

Rich, soft yet chewy, chocolaty Chocolate Walnut Fudge. Tis the season!

*adapted from AllRecipes

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Best Ever Chocolate Walnut Fudge

This Chocolate Walnut Fudge is the best I've tried! Soft and slightly chewy with buttery walnuts and two types of chocolate for extra richness!

Course Candy, Dessert, No Bake Desserts, No-Bake

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 pieces

Ingredients

• 1½ cups granulated white sugar
• 7 oz (One jar) marshmallow creme
• ⅔ cup evaporated milk
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Line an 8x8 square pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, add the granulated sugar, marshmallow creme, evaporated milk. butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly while it boils for 5 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips and vanilla extract until chocolate melts fully and mixture is smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts until just barely combined.
• Pour the chocolate fudge mixture into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm before cutting into small squares.

Notes

Since chocolate is the star of this recipe, splurge for higher quality chocolate chips. For this, I love Ghirardelli, Callebaut or Guittard for a superior chocolate flavor. 

You are going to love this super chocolaty, nutty fudge!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever Chocolate Walnut Fudge first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I am such a brownie person, but I oddly never make them for myself.

I like to judge places based on two things: brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. I feel like if bakeries can’t master those, the rest of their stuff is probably crap. And lemme tell you, there’s a lot of crappy brownies and cookies floating around out there. RIP.

When I was developing a recipe for one-bowl fudge brownies, I wanted something that tasted and reminded me of boxed brownie mix. You know that quintessential fudge brownie that sticks to your teeth and is so supremely fudgy and chocolaty that it doesn’t need any accessories like nuts or ice cream: it stands on its own as being this ultra decadent, moist, gooey treat with those signature crackly tops. Because let’s be honest, those crackly tops are LIFE.

I wanted a brownie recipe that could be made in one bowl for ease of preparation and cleanup. I have a fudge brownie recipe but it requires a LOT of ingredients and makes essentially brownie fudge because it is so thick and dense. That recipe is great, but I don’t always have time to chop up 5 (!!!) chocolate bars and to dirty up several bowls and pots. I wanted something that could be whipped up in a jiffy so I can quickly bake and serve within an hour tops. (Although when you cut into these while still warm, they won’t get as neat of a border as mine do in this picture!).

This is that brownie recipe and more!

Here are some tips and tricks I learned along the way in achieving a perfectly fudgy brownie recipe:

• Butter: We’re using real butter here for the best flavor!
• Melted chocolate AND cocoa powder: Cocoa powder has a more complex, true chocolate flavor since it doesn’t have sugar or milk in it. But I also love the moisture and richness that melted chocolate adds to the brownies. My recipe has both for maximum chocolate flavor and the perfect fudgy texture.
• No leavening agents! That’s right, there is NO baking powder or baking soda in this recipe. Why? Because when those two leaveners (or one or the other) is added to a brownie recipe, it creates a rise in the batter, resulting in a airier, cake-y texture. We do NOT want cakey brownies, so the leaveners are omitted from the recipe.
• Sugar: I use white granulated sugar in this recipe because as it bakes, the sugar liquefies, giving the brownies a lovely texture and flavor of course! White granulated sugar also aids in creating that addictive crackly top we all love (also known as a meringue!)
• Eggs: There are only 2 eggs used in this recipe to help tenderize and bind all the ingredients together. Here’s a tip: after adding in the eggs, beat the mixture really well with a wooden spoon to create pockets of air. This helps create that meringue-like crackly top.
• Flour: Only a little bit of all-purpose flour is added to this recipe because we want a chewy fudge brownie, not a cakey one.

That’s all there is to it! Just add in some vanilla extract for flavor and you’ve got an amazing, One-Bowl Fudge Brownie you’ll be craving over and over!

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Best Ever One Bowl Fudge Brownies

These One-Bowl Fudge Brownies are to die for and the BEST I've tried! Supremely fudgy and rich, they have a chewy texture and addictive crackly meringue-like tops that everyone falls in love with! Best of all, they're made in one bowl, so less prep time and cleanup!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 9 -12

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate bar roughly chopped
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder I recommend Dutch process
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease an 8x8" or 9x9" square baking pan with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add in the butter and chocolate bar and stir constantly until melted and smooth; set aside to cool for about 5 minutes, then add in the sugar and beat well. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract. Lastly, add in the flour, cocoa powder and salt and beat until combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely before cutting into squares (for neat squares) or cool until warm to the touch for warm brownies (with less-neat edges).

I know you’re going to use this brownie recipe time after time; it is so perfect!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Best Ever One Bowl Fudge Brownies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Welcome to the start of Homemade Candy Week! (Although in my life, every week is homemade candy week).

I decided to dedicate this week to homemade candies because this is the time of year when people go gaga over homemade candies. Or at least I do! Cookies are good and all – and very traditional for Christmas – but I happen to love seasonal faves like rich fudge, snappy peanut brittle, and lots of unique twists on classic favorites.

For the holidays, I love making homemade candy because it’s something not everyone does since cookies are pretty standard. A lot of people have the misconception that making candy from scratch is difficult or only for experienced bakers, but that is not the case at all! I’ve made sure this entire week’s worth of candy recipes are simple, easy to understand, and perfect for novice or more advanced home cooks.

And we’re kicking it off with probably the easiest candy there is to make: FUDGE!

Fudge kinda only has a limited time to shine throughout the year, and these last couple months are its glory days. You just don’t see a lot of people making fudge in the summertime – or at least, I don’t since I live in hell on Earth (also known as Sacramento, California). Fudge just doesn’t have the same appeal or practicality as it does in the fall and winter months.

This recipe is very straightforward and simple to follow, I promise! And the flavor pay-off is outstanding. Who doesn’t love booze in their desserts?

I chose Kahlua for this recipe because Kahlua is a very seasonal flavor in my eyes. I think it works best with wintry flavors like peppermint, eggnog, and gingerbread, and especially in desserts since it is already so rich, intoxicating and decadent. Of course, if Kahlua ain’t your thing, this would be excellent with Bailey’s! Or if you wanted to try something a little more festive, try using one of the seasonal Kahlua flavors, like the mint mocha one (yum!). However, if you don’t imbibe, I would skip this recipe altogether because the Kahlua is the shining moment for this particular fudge recipe.

I have a few tips to ensure this recipe works perfectly for you!

• Yes, you read it correctly: this calls for 24 OUNCES of chopped white chocolate. That’s 6 (six) 4-ounce bars. I HIGHLY suggest you use white chocolate baking bars, such as Baker’s brand or Ghirardelli for the most successful outcome. Chocolate chips, particularly white chocolate chips, are so finicky and are extremely prone to scorching. Once you scorch chocolate, it seizes and becomes unusable. (Talk about a waste!). Baking chocolate melts at a higher temperature and is creamier and more consistent, so stick with that.
• I love the complex, nutty flavor toasted pecans give this fudge. It pairs beautifully with that rich Kahlua. To toast the pecans, simply add them to a dry skillet over medium heat and stir around once in awhile for about 5-8 minutes or until fragrant. This simple trick really elevates their buttery flavor and lends the fudge such a lovely taste!
• If you’ve tried some fudge recipes before, you know it can be tricky once it is setting up. Putting it straight into the fridge can make it brittle and crumbly, which is a no bueno for creamy, chewy fudge. My tip is to let the fudge sit out uncovered at room temperature for at least 12, up to 24 hours. This allows it to set and firm up perfectly. About an hour before you plan to serve it, pop it in the fridge briefly to finish setting up. This will make it easier to cut and will give it the perfect creamy texture we’re looking for. Patience is key here!

Creamy white chocolate, decadent Kahlua, and crunchy toasted pecans. This fudge has it all!

*adapted from Taste of Home

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Easy Kahlua Fudge

This Easy Kahlua Fudge is a lifesaver during the busy holiday season! Flavored with creamy white chocolate, rich Kahlua liqueur and toasted pecans, it is a can't-miss flavor bomb wrapped in a simple recipe.

Course Candy, Dessert, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day

Servings 64

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 24 ounces (six 4-ounce packages) white baking chocolate bars, roughly chopped
• 14 ounces (One 14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup Kahlua liquor
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted

Instructions

• Line a 9" square pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, melt the butter and chopped white chocolate bars over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until melted and smooth. Stir in the condensed milk until combined. Remove from heat and stir in the Kahlua, vanilla extract, and pecans until well blended.
• Pour into the prepared pan and spread out the top. Let sit for 12-24 hours at room temperature, then briefly refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm. This ensures the fudge maintains the perfect texture! After it is done refrigerating to chill and set, it is fine to be left out at room temperature.

I know everyone on your holiday gifting list will flip for this creamy, soft, and divine fudge recipe!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Easy Kahlua Fudge first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

If you’re on the hunt for a great, classic chocolate cake recipe – this is it! My Best Ever Chocolate Layer Cake with Fudge Frosting is moist, tender and fluffy and the fudge frosting is smooth, creamy, silky and utterly perfect!

I never used to think I was a chocolate cake person.

I know – I was a disturbing child.

I just always felt as if I liked vanilla cake more than chocolate. Maybe because the chocolate cakes I’ve had in birthdays past have been dry and crumbly, AKA, blasphemy for any cake, but especially chocolate. I just kinda wrote off all chocolate cakes to be sub-par.

Not. Anymore.

This Chocolate Layer Cake is supremely moist and tender with a fluffy crumb and that stick-to-your-ribs quality every self-respecting chocolate cake must possess. It’s rich and complex, fudgy and dreamy. When I think of the perfect chocolate cake, I think of this recipe!

And the Fudge Frosting is actually a fudge frosting – I’m not just saying that! It starts with chopped chocolate bars – I like bittersweet or semi-sweet for a seriously chocolaty hit – and butter that gets melted together until smooth and glossy perfection. Then you just whip it up with a bunch of confectioners’ sugar until it turns light and fluffy. It’s kinda like a ganache meets frosting and it’s heavenly!

Obviously, sprinkles are not optional when it comes to cakes. I don’t know why, but if a grocery store cake doesn’t have sprinkles, it just tastes boring. Sprinkles are the spice of life. < that’s going on my tombstone.

This cake recipe is pretty straight-forward, so even novice bakers will be able to follow along. It has a few crucial components to take it from regular ol’ cake to an amazing, best-ever cake, so read up!

• I recommend using a high-quality baking cocoa for this recipe rather than your standard grocery-store cocoa. Why? Because it’s a chocolate cake, and you’ll want the best, purest chocolate flavor for it. I really like Rodelle’s baking cocoa for its superior flavor!
• Second, the key to a delicious and moist chocolate cake is a hot liquid entering the batter at the final mixing stage. Because chocolate and coffee pair so beautifully together, I call for hot, strong, black coffee. The cake will not taste mocha-like and you won’t even know the coffee is there… instead, as it mixes with the other ingredients – especially the cocoa powder – it will enhance and deepen the chocolate flavor. You can omit the coffee and use hot water, but I love the extra oomph the coffee gives the chocolate.
• The frosting has a LOT of confectioners’ sugar in it. That’s because I doubled my original recipe and because there’s a lot of liquid in the frosting from the melted butter, melted chocolate, and milk. Remember, the frosting won’t taste overwhelmingly cloying because it’s being spread out around two thick layers of cake. You can try to omit some of the confectioners’ sugar, but the frosting is already softer rather than stiff so I’d fear it would be a gloopy mess.

One bite of this rich, moist chocolate cake with that silky, divine fudge frosting and you’ll be in heaven. No other recipe compares!

*Adapted from my recipe

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The Best Chocolate Layer Cake with Fudge Frosting

This Best Ever Chocolate Layer Cake with Fudge Frosting is so supremely moist, fluffy and tender and PACKED with incredible, complex and deep chocolate flavor! The fudge frosting ties it all together!

Course Cakes/Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 -10

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup high quality cocoa powder I like Rodelle Baking Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup STRONG hot brewed black coffee
• FOR THE FUDGE FROSTING:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter cubed
• 8 ounces (Two 4-ounce each bars) bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 32 ounces (Two 16-ounce each boxes) confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• Sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease two 9" round baking pans with cooking spray; set aside. I like to also add in a round piece of parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add in the oil, vanilla, buttermilk and eggs and beat on low speed until combined. Gently and slowly pour in the hot coffee until the batter comes together. Batter will be quite thin; this is okay.
• Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely.
• Make the frosting while the cake cools: In a large bowl, combine the cubed butter and chopped chocolate bar. Microwave on HIGH power for about 30 seconds, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and beat it on HIGH speed for 5-7 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. It's easiest to do this in a stand mixer. Frosting may be a little runny; this is normal. Refrigerate frosting for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.
• Place a cake layer top-down on a cake stand or plate. Spread with 1/3 of the fudge frosting out to the edges. Top with remaining cake layer and frost the remainder of the cake. Top with sprinkles if desired.

You’re going to love this fudgy cake masterpiece!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Disclaimer: this post contains an Amazon affiliate link. If a purchase is made using my link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog! 

The post The Best Chocolate Layer Cake with Fudge Frosting first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

So today is my birthday – yay!

I am a whopping 26 years young. < I hate when people say that because I feel like I am old, not young, and this is why:

• I go to bed by 9:30pm at the latest
• I have to take my pills by 6:30pm or else I’ll suffer
• I eat dinner around 4:30 every night
• I have bad sciatica problems and often am seen clutching my sides and screaming “my HIPS!”
• I’m an early riser
• My knees literally make a crunching sound when I walk. They crack so loudly and crunchily that I can literally feel the crunch in my jowls. (Is that weird? Yes.)
• I wear shower caps in the bath
• I like pudding

I’m sure there are more reasons why I feel so damn old, but I can’t think of any, which is probably another reason why I feel old. *sigh*

ANYWAY. Today everyone in my family has to work, so I’m all alone (like every day) and the highlights of my day would be getting a massage in the evening, and buying two books that come out today. In other words, I’m getting CRUNK at 9am at Barnes & Noble.

I’m lame, I know. Don’t rub it in.

But you know what? I’m kind of glad I have a laid-back birthday, because sometimes there’s so much pressure on birthdays having to be these grand, extravagant things. Although I wouldn’t mind Tom Hiddleston taking me out for a drink later. (Call me, Tom).

The good news about all of this? I have CAKE! And I could not have asked for a better cake. Seriously, this stuff is better than a bakery cake. FOR REAL.

The cake recipe itself yields such a rich, decadent cake that’s moist and fluffy in texture with a tender crumb. You could feasibly eat this cake plain, it’s so moist and fabulous, but why would you skip out on fudge frosting?

And the frosting – Y’ALL HOLD ME. It’s so good. I ate a good several spatula-spoonfuls of it before frosting the cake and had to hold myself back from eating the whole bowl. It’s exactly what you need your frosting to be: fudgy, smooth, indulgent goodness.

Combine the two together and you have the world’s greatest cake, in my humble opinion. It really is that good.

Best of all, you can totally make this into a two-layer cake, cupcakes, or a Bundt cake, depending on how you prefer your cakes. I *almost* made this into a Bundt, but decided last minute on the ease of using a 9×13″ rectangular pan. I’ll leave some pan times in the recipe below!

Happy Birthday to me!

*cake adapted from Hershey’s

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The BEST Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

This fudgy, outrageously delicious Chocolate Cake may be the BEST Chocolate Cake I've EVER had. Seriously! You've got to try it with this decadent fudge frosting, too.

Course Cakes/Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder I like Rodelle's Organic Cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup HOT black coffee make sure it's strong!
• FOR FUDGE FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter cubed
• 4 ounces (1 small box) bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 1 lb (16 ounce box) confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• Sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. Or, if using another pan, spray liberally with cooking spray (such as two 9" rounds, or a Bundt pan, or line 2 muffin tins with 24 paper liners).
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add in the oil, vanilla, buttermilk and eggs and beat on low speed until combined. Gently and slowly pour in the hot coffee until the batter comes together. Batter will be quite thin; this is okay.
• Pour the batter evenly into the pan or pan(s) or cupcake liners. Bake the 9x13" rectangular pan for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely. (Other pan times will be at the end of this recipe).
• To make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the cubed butter and chopped chocolate bar. Microwave on HIGH power for about 30 seconds, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and beat it on HIGH speed for 5-7 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. It's easiest to do this in a stand mixer.
• Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake and smooth out the top. Sprinkle liberally with sprinkles, if using. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set before cutting into slices.
• FOR CUPCAKES: Bake for 15-20 minutes.
• FOR BUNDT CAKE: Bake for 55-65 minutes.
• FOR TWO 9" ROUND CAKES: Bake for 25-30 minutes.

This cake is just out of this world, you guys! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post The BEST Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I’ll admit: I’m a peppermint bark freak.

You could peppermint barkify just about anything and I’d inhale it as if my life depended on it. And in a way, my life kind of does depend on peppermint bark: it’s one of my favorite seasonal treats by far.

And so I got to thinking: I don’t have a whole lot of fudge recipes on my blog, and I don’t have a ton of peppermint bark recipes either.

That ^^ is precisely when the lightbulb moment happened. And the rest is blissfully delicious peppermint bark history.

This fudge has two layers swirled together: a chocolate layer, and a white chocolate peppermint layer. It’s super simple to make, because my fudge recipe is a no-brainer. Simply melt some chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together, add some extract and voila. DONE. No joke!

Layer ’em up in a greased and foiled pan and let them set, which is by far the hardest part of the recipe. But if you practice patience with this recipe, I promise it’ll pay off big time!

Happy Fudge-Making! (Er, that sounds weird. Nevermind).

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Peppermint Bark Swirled Fudge

This Peppermint Bark Swirled Fudge is such a treat this time of year!

Course Candy, Dessert, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 36

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• FOR CHOCOLATE FUDGE:
• 1 12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE:
• 1 12 oz pkg white chocolate/vanilla chips
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 cup peppermint baking chips such as Andes
• 1/2 cup crushed candy cane pieces

Instructions

• Line an 8x8" or 9x9" square baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and condensed milk together over medium-low heat, stirring and folding it constantly until melted and smooth. Mixture will be quite thick. Whisk in the vanilla extract and pour the fudge in the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Set aside.
• In another large saucepan, melt the white chocolate chips and condensed milk together over medium-low heat, stirring and folding it constantly until melted and smooth. Mixture will also be thick. Whisk in the peppermint extract and pour the vanilla layer over the chocolate layer slowly. Using a butter knife, swirl the fudge layers together. Immediately top with the peppermint baking chips and crushed candy canes.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set before cutting into squares.

Minty, soft, chewy and melt-in-your-mouth with crunchy bits of peppermint on top…. this fudge is out of this world amazing! Give it a try and let me know what ya think

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Peppermint Bark Swirled Fudge first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

I admit, I don’t know much about Hanukkah, except that it lasts eight days and kids sometimes play dreidel for gelt. That’s about it. (Sorry to my Jewish friends!)

But I do know that I have quite a few readers who celebrate Hanukkah, so amidst all of the red & green Santa stuff, I wanted to bring you guys a treat you could indulge in. Enter: these No-Bake Fudge Dreidels.

The idea came to me after I read an issue of Woman’s Day Magazine and after I remembered I made Marshmallow Dreidels in the past. This version, similar to the one in the magazine, features FUDGE instead of marshmallows, making for one super chocolaty treat. However, both are no-bake, so give them both a try!

Plus, this recipe makes a lot so you can save some for yourself and pass the rest out to family and friends. Win-win!

To make them, just make a batch of my three-ingredient fudge. Easy peasy. It’s just chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Melt it all together and pour it into a pan to let it set. Once set, cut it into little squares, depending on how big you’d like your dreidel to be. Using a toothpick, skewer the fudge square and the bottom of a Hershey Kiss together to create the dreidel shape. Then dip, decorate and EAT!!

You are only limited to your imagination when decorating these dreidels. I used chocolate candy melts to create the Hebrew letters that correspond with the dreidel game (Gimel, Hay, Shin and Nun are the letters). You can also use sparkling coarse sugar sprinkles to decorate, or even use a different colored candy melt (such as blue) or luster dust (like silver) to coat the dreidels.

Whatever you do, if you love chocolate, you’ll want to make these!

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No Bake Fudge Dreidels

These Fudge Dreidels are such a fun way to incorporate Hanukkah traditions into dessert! Easy, no-bake and makes a ton!

Course Candy, Dessert, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• FOR FUDGE:
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips 1 (12 oz bag)
• 1 (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• FOR DECORATION:
• 36 Hershey's Kisses unwrapped
• 30 oz approx. 3 bags Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers (or another kind of melting chocolate/almond bark)
• 1/2 (5 oz bag) dark chocolate melting wafers (such as Ghirardelli)
• Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

• First, make your fudge. Line an 8x8" square pan with parchment and set aside. In a large pot, melt together the chocolate chips and condensed milk over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and pour the fudge into the prepared pan.
• Let the fudge chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until firm. Once firm, cut into 36 equally sized squares.
• Using a toothpick, skewer each piece of fudge, leaving a small piece of the toothpick exposed. Skewer a Hershey Kiss upside down (pointed side down) onto the toothpick and rest it gently against the fudge. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Melt the vanilla melting chocolate according to package directions, or until smooth. Dip each dreidel into the vanilla chocolate, coating it completely and allowing excess to drip off. Return to the parchment-lined baking sheet to set, or top with sprinkles if using. Repeat with remaining dreidels.
• If piping on Hebrew letters, melt the dark chocolate according to package directions, or until smooth. Pipe Hebrew letters onto each dreidel. I find it's easiest to pour the melted dark chocolate into a small squeeze bottle with a small opening so you have more control of the chocolate. Let set, then eat!

Fudgy, chocolaty goodness in one unique and adorable Hanukkah treat!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post No Bake Fudge Dreidels first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

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!

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. 

*adapted from here 

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Easy Homemade Divinity Candy

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!

Course Candy, Dessert, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 -16

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites at room temperature
• 2¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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!
• 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.
• 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.

Chewy & soft, like nougat-meets-fudge, this is a must-try this holiday season!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Easy Homemade Divinity Candy first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.