An unbelievably easy and delicious cake that tastes like your favorite peanut butter and chocolate Girl Scout Tagalong Cookies. Only three ingredients!
There are three very important things happening in this uberly (it’s a word. shut up.) delicious cake.
☝????Pound cake. Easy, Sara Lee, ALWAYS GOOD and always easy ???? pound cake.
✌???? Peanut butter. And I don’t mean peanut butter that’s been diluted with sugar or whipped cream or something. I mean PEANUT BUTTER. In all of it’s creamy glory. The way the Girl Scouts intended it to be.
✌????☝???? (why isn’t there an emjoi for three??) Chocolate. Duh.
Step number one: buy a Sara Lee pound cake out of the frozen section. I’m not even going to bother arguing with the make-it-from-scratch crowd here. Trust me. It’s just as good if not better than a homemade pound cake for this particular recipe.
I rest my case.
Step number two: smother it in creamy, creamy peanut butter.
Step number three: Freeze it. Really about 30 minutes ought to do the trick. We just don’t want it to melt when we pour the chocolate over it.
Are you ready for this step?
Canned frosting. Mmm-hm. I’m not even embarrassed. Homemade frosting has it’s place. Like on this cake. But half a can of melted Pillsbury Milk Chocolate frosting works like a dream for this recipe.
Indulgent chocolate muffins with a secret ingredient that makes them extra soft, extra fudgy, and extra chocolate-y!
I thought we might all be in the mood for a healthier recipe to balance out all the chocolate chip cookies, Samoas Fudge, and Snickerdoodle Pie we’ve been eating around here lately.
Just kidding. What I meant to say was that I thought we might all be in the mood for muffins that taste like brownies, because who needs to balance out dessert?! More like, let’s make dessert for breakfast! ????
Which is exactly what I did.
These muffins are full of whole wheat goodness, healthy fat in the form of coconut oil, and a shot of Greek yogurt for an extra soft and moist center. So you see? Despite their chocolate-y goodness, these muffins really are more substantial than super fudgy cupcakes sans frosting.
I mean. They taste like cupcakes. Or brownies. But they aren’t.
Because these are for breakfast. ????
So, besides that Greek yogurt, these muffins are packing a secret ingredient that makes them unbelievably soft and moist– almost cake like, really.
You know how pudding mix makes cookies and cakes super soft and tender? Well, of course, it does the same thing to muffins! Adding a box of chocolate pudding mix (I like Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate pudding mix, but you can use any chocolate mix) takes these muffins to a whole new level of indulgence.
And did I mention they taste like dessert? For breakfast?! ????
My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It’s like eating cookies for breakfast 🙂
You guys. This week. This week. Is it going to end? Please? Someone tell me it’s almost over. I’m not sure I’m going to survive any more of it.
It’s like I desperately need an “off” button or something. But when you’re a mom, you don’t really get one of those do you? Ha! You should. Or at least a mute button or something.
Sometimes I swear that would be enough– just to be able to turn off the noise. I think I could handle the rest of it, if I could just mute everything and plod along in blissful silence. So yeah. I’m thinking a mute button would suffice. And if I could order it on Amazon Prime, well, that would just be swell.
Ok, daydream over.
Back to reality.
Thank heavens I live in a reality that includes dessert for breakfast. Because if I don’t get a mute button, I think I should most certainly be allowed to have dessert for breakfast. amiright?!
This Samoas Baked Oatmeal is a revamp of a very old, archived recipe that I am super excited to share with you today!! The original recipe was for a single-serve, microwave version, and you can still find it here.
But I like this baked version much better! Today’s rendition is simply my favorite go-to baked oatmeal transformed into an indulgent version of Samoas Girl Scout Cookies. The plain oatmeal recipe already called for coconut, so it’s a pretty natural transition to add caramel and toasted coconut to the top! And of course a chocolate drizzle. Because #chocolategoals.
You can make the oatmeal base the night before and bake it in the morning if you want to save a little time. And be sure to toast the coconut ahead of time too. Then all you’ll have to do is mix in the caramel, and voila!
Incredibly moist banana bundt cake recipe with a sneakily easy chocolate glaze.
You know what I’d rather do than watch my husband try to do homework with my first grader? (because o.m.g. it’s like having TWO first graders who won’t stop arguing with each other)
So, yeah. Pretty much anything else would be good.
But this banana bundt cake recipe — and licking that big puddle of chocolate glaze off the plate — would be pretty high up on my list.
Two things really surprised me about this recipe. And not because one or the other, but because both things are going on here.
One. This cake is supremely soft and moist. Like, crumbs-that-stick-to-your-fork moist. Which I’d typically expect from a banana cake. Except for–
Two. It baked into a fabulously sturdy bundt cake. In my experience, bundt cakes that hold up really well aren’t always high up on the soft, fluffy, and moist scale. Maybe they’re moist. But never quite as tender and fluffy as this cake is on the inside.
Basically, this is the superhero of bundt cakes. And banana cakes. It’s the superhero of all cakes.
And that Banana Bundt Cake recipe glaze…
Also, that chocolate glaze. ????????
And want to hear my dirty little secret about that? It’s store bought frosting. YES. IT. IS.
Listen. I have really solid, fool proof, fantabulous chocolate ganache recipe right here that would work perfectly for this cake. And if you want to go the all homemade route, please! Be my guest!
But if you’re running short on time (who isn’t?), melting down about half of a can of Pillsbury Milk Chocolate frosting to pour over this cake is an excellent option. It tastes delicious, and it pours beautifully. Plus, it takes about 30 seconds and is virtually mess-free. You won’t be sad if that’s the way you go, I promise.
No matter how you slice it, it’s always better than watching my husband attempt homework with a first grader. ????
This is the perfect birthday cake recipe! Buttery golden yellow cake with creamy, fudgy chocolate frosting. And lots of sprinkles, of course!
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t do birthday cakes.
I don’t make my husband’s birthday cakes. I don’t make my kids’ birthday cakes. And I don’t make my own birthday cakes. It’s a very firm personal policy that I established a few years back.
Why? It’s just too much unnecessary stress. And I can’t emphasize the unnecessary part enough. I mean, between planning a party, buy and wrapping gifts, and setting up the whole DAY in general, whyyyyyyyyyyy go through the ordeal of making a cake too? After enough birthdays of ending up grouchy and tired in a sticky, messy kitchen, I decided to abandon the practice of birthday cake-making altogether. I’d rather spend the day in celebration and eat a delicious cake from one of my favorite bakeries.
If you ask me, there’s absolutely no shame in that (especially when I’m baking cakes nearly every other day of the year!).
But, back when I used to make birthday cakes for myself, this is what I would make. A perfect, simple yellow cake with glorious fudgy frosting and a ridiculous amount of sprinkles! It’s everything that a birthday cake should be!
When I was in college, we’d make this cake on each roommate’s birthday. But we used a box cake and store-bought frosting and pink crystal sprinkles.
This is my grown up version of that.
Moist and tender, butter yellow cake made extra soft by using whole milk and incorporating sour cream into the batter (is there anything not made better by sour cream??). It’s thick and puffy, and crazy delicious.
The coup de gras of this cake, however, is the chocolate frosting on top. I took my favorite chocolate fudge frosting and made one teensy-weensy, but oh-so-significant alteration… I omitted 3/4 cups of the powdered sugar from the recipe.
What does that mean?
It means that we’re taking out just enough powdered sugar to make this frosting extra creamy by increasing the ratio of fat to dry ingredients. You wouldn’t want to frost a free-standing cake with this frosting, because it wouldn’t firm up well enough to stay where you put it. But if you’re frosting a sheet cake? That’s a different story! It’s the perfect vessel for all that creamy, indulgent goodness.
This rich, indulgent, fudgy frosting is the perfect compliment to that buttery yellow cake underneath. The only thing that could make it any better?
SPRINKLES. And lots of them. So don’t forget to add plenty of those!
Toasted coconut, crunchy toffee, and chocolate chips enveloped in a sweet, buttery cookie with golden crisp edges and soft chewy middles. What’s not to love??
About 6 years ago, I decided to have a bake sale in conjunction with a yard sale we were having. I emailed all my favorite bloggers at the time and asked them to send me their top bake sale recipe. My plan was to “market” my bake sale as a “blogger bake sale,” and have all the recipes submitted by my friends made up and ready to sell.
Several people saw my signs and excitedly showed up, hoping to meet really cool food bloggers with samples of their recipes… ????.
And instead, they found me (just me) with a table of baked goods I had clumsily made in our little apartment kitchen. Mind you, this was back when I used margarine instead of butter ????– so there was still quite a bit of development in my baking abilities yet to occur.
Woops.
Annnnnnyway. Embarrassing memories aside– I only bring it up, because it was that bake sale that landed me with this cookie recipe. A friend of mine gave me the recipe, and I fell instantly in love with it!
Albeit, I’ve tweaked it a little bit to use my favorite Quick & Easy CCC as the cookie base instead of her original recipe. But it’s the same concept– toasted coconut, toffee bits, and chocolate chips. So, so good!
I was pleasantly surprised at the texture of these cookies. The toffee, of course, lend a buttery crunch to each bite. But, to me, the real star of the show is the toasted coconut! Besides being deliciously fragrant and tasty, the coconut adds another layer of crispy texture to the cookies.
I absolutely adore these cookies. Crisp, buttery, golden edges. Crunchy, crispy toffee and coconut mixed with warm, melty chocolate in every bite. Believe me, you are going to fall head over heels for this recipe too!
PS- did I mention this is a spin-off of my Quick & Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies?? That means NO mixer, NO chilling, and NO spreading! Seriously, best. recipe. everrrrrrrrr.
Nothing beats a thick slice of super moist chocolate chip zucchini bread smothered in butter.
We DEVOURED this bread. Inhaled it.
Like… it didn’t even last two days. It barely stuck around past the 24 hour mark.
It’s incredibly moist thanks to THREE CUPS of zucchini and the brown sugar.
And can you see how shiny the chocolate chips are? That’s my favorite part. In both banana bread and zucchini bread, I love how the moisture seeps into the chocolate chips creating a little chocolate “bubble” around each chip. I know I’m not doing a great job describing this, but you know what I’m talking about right?
I don’t know why, but that just gets me every time. ????
Now, I’m no nutritional expert…. ahem, clearly ????… but I figure all the green veggies here make this bread a pretty square meal. Who’s with me?!
Enjoy a thick slice of this delicious zucchini bread warm or day-old, smothered in butter, with a tall glass of milk. And try it with my Maple Cinnamon Butter. You’ll be in heaven!
How To Make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Making zucchini bread is an efficient way to use up fresh zucchini, and it’s a recipe that’s both simple and rewarding. The process begins by combining the key wet ingredients in a large bowl—zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs. The grated zucchini adds moisture and a subtle, earthy flavor, while the sugar and oil ensure the bread will be sweet and tender. The vanilla and eggs bind everything together, creating a rich and flavorful base for your batter.
In a separate bowl, you’ll mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. These ingredients not only give structure to the bread but also infuse it with warm, spiced flavors. The cinnamon and nutmeg add a cozy, aromatic touch that complements the zucchini perfectly. Once the dry ingredients are well combined, gently fold them into the wet mixture. It’s important to mix just until a batter forms—overmixing can lead to dense, tough bread.
To make your zucchini bread extra special, fold in a generous amount of chocolate chips. The chocolate adds a delightful sweetness and a bit of indulgence to each slice. Once the batter is ready, divide it evenly between two prepared loaf pans. As the bread bakes, the kitchen will fill with the irresistible aroma of spices and chocolate. After about 45 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaves. If it comes out clean, the bread is ready. If the tops are browning too quickly, cover the loaves with foil and continue baking until fully cooked.
Allow the zucchini bread to cool in the pans before slicing. This ensures the loaves firm up nicely and are easy to remove. Once cooled, slice into thick pieces and enjoy the soft, moist texture combined with the rich flavors of chocolate and warm spices. This zucchini bread is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert, making it a versatile treat that everyone will love.
Rich fudgy brownies that taste like your favorite Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies!
This post is sponsored by Pillsbury.
Top 5 things I learned in Girl Scouts:
Be careful when hot gluing pennies to hair clips. ????
Send the cookie order form to work with your Dad immediately upon receiving the form.
Show up to meetings twinning with your best friend. With a matching side braid if possible.
Surprisingly, moving up to ‘Brownies’ doesn’t mean you actually get brownies. Who knew?
Always, always, ALWAYS stash the Thin Mints in the freezer as soon as the shipment gets in!
Is there anything in this world better than frozen Thin Mints?!
How about a frozen Thin Mint Brownie?
You guys… THIN MINT BROWNIES! And I don’t mean Thin-Mint-Brownies-that-you-have-to-wait-all-the-way-until-Girl-Scout-Cookie-season-to-make.
I mean whip-em-up-brownies made RIGHT NOW with a whisk and a bowl in your very own kitchen with just 4 simple ingredients. Interested?
Of course you are. Aren’t we all?!
The NEW Pillsbury™ Girl Scout Cookie™- Inspired Baking Mixes provide a way to recreate the crave-worthy flavors of Girl Scout Cookies® at home in the form of brownies, blondies and cupcakes with the ease of a convenient Pillsbury™ Girl Scout Cookie™ Flavored Baking Mix.
I mean, really. It’s about time somebody came up with this! amiright??
I think you’ll love these brownies no matter when you eat them. But my personal opinion is that you should really wait until they’ve cooled completely and given the flavors time to marry a bit before you dig in.
And if you really want them at their very best… just remember Girl Scout Lesson #5. ????
Enjoy! And big thanks to Pillsbury for sponsoring this post.
These moist and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini muffins are so good. You’ll never believe they’re full of vegetables!
My CJ is a muffin fiend. It is the only bread I can get him to eat. He won’t touch sandwich bread, buttery soft rolls, fluffy buttermilk pancakes… turns up his nose at all of it.
Don’t ask me how he knows the difference between a muffin and a cupcake, but he does. And apparently the appeal of the cupcake doesn’t even come close to how he feels about muffins. I guess I should feel pretty good about that… but really it just makes me wonder, is he really mine??
I suppose the 25 hours of grueling labor it took to bring him into the world should be enough proof, but his carb snobbery seriously has me questioning things.
These muffins take a big step toward bringing our two worlds together, because these chocolate zucchini muffins really are BETTER than cupcakes. They are ridiculously soft, so fudgy, and utterly indulgent.
You’d never believe that there’s a cup and a half of shredded veggies in there.
So sneaky! ????
My other secret ingredient? Pudding mix!
You know how it makes cakes crazy stupid soft and moist? It does the same thing in muffins.
Did I mention that these freeze really well? They do! So when you’re up to your eyeballs in zucchini this summer, make a double (or triple!) batch of these to stash in the freezer. And just set them out at room temp to thaw when you are ready to dig in.
Fudgy chocolate brownie bites layered in cool, creamy peanut butter mousse. You won’t believe how good this is and how easy it is to make!!
I’m all about the easy in the summer time, let me tell you.
Part of me kind of thought that summer might be a little easier than the school year. I mean, I knew it would be challenging having both kids home all day every day. But I guess I still thought that just maybe I would feel like I had more hours in the day to get stuff done.
Since I figured the days would feel longer and all.
Turns out, I was part right. And part so, so, so very wrong. I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this… the days are NEVER ENDING. Never, ever ending. And yet somehow, there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done.
WTH? If someone figures that math out, let me know.
In the meantime, I’m doing lots of quick-and-easy around here. I average cooking a real meal about once a week. Cleaning just doesn’t get done. And I let the kids pretty much rule the roost all day.
Seriously. As I sit here and type, I can see a (LARGE) milk puddle in the carpet that I haven’t sponged up since lunch time (that’s gonna be fun), CJ is rubbing in applesauce on the rug at my feet, clothes and knick knacks and what nots litter every inch of living space as far as the eye can see, my empty fast food cup of soda is leaving a water ring on the table to my left, and there’s a sticky bottle of infant’s Ibuprofen stuck to a book on my right. I still don’t know what we’re having for dinner, Chris will be home in about 15 minutes, and then I’m leaving for a baby shower.
I’m not complaining. But at some point… the situation does become comical.
So when it comes to prepping recipes for the blog? It’s gotta be EASY. We’re talking the minimum amount of effort here.
And friends, it does NOT get any easier than this recipe for Peanut Butter Brownie Parfaits.
You’ll need pudding mix, peanut butter, Cool Whip, and milk for the mousse part. And you’ll layer that with brownie bites (home baked or store bought, box mix or from scratch, my recipe or yours, WHATEVER) and chocolate chips.
Guys, this recipe is the very definitely of minimal effort. And it’s SO GOOD. And it looks so fancy too. People will never know that you whipped this up whilst standing in a pile of smushed grapes and animal crackers in your yoga pants!
