cake Archives - Simply Sells Kitchen

Baked Oatmeal Muffins

Sandra Sells — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:23:42 +0000

Oats are a huge staple in our house! From regular oatmeal to cookies and pancakes, we tend to use oats in a lot of our recipes. These baked oatmeal muffins have been a great addition in our home. My kids started a pass or fail challenge when recipes are finalized, and I got a pass on these. I think I have mentioned they are tough critics, so I am quite pleased. This muffin recipe is versatile and customizable to any palate. They are so easy to make! These baked oatmeal muffins are great to make ahead for quick breakfasts on the go and are a healthy option for your family. Go ahead and bring them to your next brunch gathering; they will definitely be a hit! They stay fresh for 3-4 days in a sealed container on the counter or you can store them in the freezer for a longer period. I like to put one in my kids lunchbox as a nutritious treat option! Recipe You make these baked oatmeal muffins right in the food processor. I am sure a Vitamix would do the job, too. First, preheat the oven to 350℉, and then prep your muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. I start by mixing all the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse them until the mixture looks like a course sand texture. Next, I add everything else right into the food processor and pulse them until combined (about 30 seconds). Finally, I use my cookie scoop to scoop the batter into each muffin space. Using the cookie scoop fills 12 muffin spaces pretty evenly if the scoops are even. The toppings I chose for this batch of muffins were blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips. I bet you can guess the kids favorite, yep, the chocolate chip ones! My husband was partial to the blueberries! Like I said, these muffins are very versatile. You can even make them mini muffins for your little toddlers. Some other topping options that would be great on these are cooked apples, chia seeds, nuts, granola, or raisins. I bet this recipe would also be a great base for a coffee cake crumble. The options are endless. I hope you enjoy these baked oatmeal muffins and I encourage you to try to make healthy options like these for your family!

The post Baked Oatmeal Muffins appeared first on Simply Sells Kitchen.

Coconut Cream Cake

Sandra Sells — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 04:42:37 +0000

Anyone that has been to a church potluck hopefully has encountered amazing dessert tables. I love a big gathering that shows off everyone’s culinary efforts. Even though you may encounter some disturbing ones, it’s still a really fun experience. On a personal note, my preference is to try foods from homes that I am familiar with. I have come across quite a few mamas and grandmas that get it right and know how to feed a crowd. They can create desserts and meals that are delicious masterpieces. I want to share with you a coconut cream cake recipe that is a play on our Simply Sells’ tres leches cake that we have shared already. This new recipe shows that with a few ingredient swap-outs this cake is a totally different taste experience. This coconut cream cake was actually a dessert that one of Kodi’s friends used to make in college. The cake seems to have a sense of maturity – if a cake could be mature. In my world, its lightly toasted coconut garnish makes the cake seem very adult. We should share with our kids, but maybe we will keep it our little secret for a while longer. This coconut cream cake’s made-from-scratch-base is the same as our tres leches cake but the flavor is totally new. And, like the tres leches cake, the effort really is minimal. After you make the cake base and let it cool, poke the cake all over with a fork, and then pour the crema de coco (coconut cream) and sweetened condensed milk on top. Top it with homemade whipping cream, and then prepare the coconut garnishment. Place unsweetened coconut flakes on a sheet pan and put it in the oven. Toast the flakes until they turn light golden brown, and be sure to immediately remove the pan from the oven as coconut can burn easily if left in too long. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the toasted coconut. You can even decorate the top with some toasted almonds or fresh fruit. We like to use strawberries, but it can be anything you desire! The moisture in this coconut cream cake fills your mouth with beautiful sweetness, and the toasted coconut is the cherry on top. This cake can really stand on its own at any occasion – party or potluck – but keep in mind that it may need refrigeration. I hope you try this delicious cake at your next gathering (small or large) and indulge in this sweet treat. Enjoy!

The post Coconut Cream Cake appeared first on Simply Sells Kitchen.

Tres Leches Cake

Sandra Sells — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:55:06 +0000

Baking at the Sells household is always a fun family affair. Whether brownies, cookies, or cakes it doesn’t matter. Kodi and I love it, the kids love it and, of course, neither of us can hardly wait to lick the spoon! This tres leches (three milks) cake is no exception. Baking as a family For us, baking dessert is a sign that we are relaxed and happy. Out come the kid’s stepping stools shortly followed by the young ones slightly arguing about who will be the closest to the mixing bowl action. We get so much happiness from our family coming together. I really do believe baking is therapeutic and brings a sense of hope that something good is just on the horizon. I know that might sound slightly dramatic but it does bring tons of joy in our house! We’ve always had a sweet tooth – who doesn’t – so we want to share a tres leches cake recipe that is sure to cure sweet tooth cravings. Besides satisfying your own sweet tooth the recipe is fantastic for a potluck, party or family gathering. History of Tres Leches Historically, canned evaporated milk used in tres leches started being made in the 1850’s and became more popular in the early to mid-twentieth century during both world wars. At that time it was popular to soak sponge cake in evaporated milk to preserve or sustain the cake’s life. In trying to keep up with demand for canned evaporated milks, companies expanded operations to Central and South America. Some say Nicaragua was responsible for using canned evaporated milk to create the delicious tres leches treat while others trace its origin to England in the Middle Ages. Miami even tries to stake claim to the origin of the popular dessert. Either way, regardless of who’s responsible, we can all agree that tres leches is truly a heavenly and magical dessert! The back story Our recipe started as a cure for Kodi’s sweet tooth back in his college days. It was originally a budget branch-off recipe of a coconut cake that he learned to make while living in Boston, which always hit the spot. After moving back to Florida, he discovered and grew a love for Spanish flavored foods. Tres leches cake has been a favorite of his since. In the beginning, he started with box cake, a few milky toppings, and then covered in sweet whipped topping. The cake was quick, easy, delicious and required very little effort. Now that we are well beyond college days, the cake has been reinvented into an upgraded version made from scratch. The result gives bragging rights to any baker! The tres leches recipe can be adapted for any holiday by decorating the top with colored sprinkles, berries or any other seasonal fruit. By doubling the recipe you can make a very large sheet cake that will really impress at your next gathering. Have fun and let us know what you think! Feel free and be creative!

The post Tres Leches Cake appeared first on Simply Sells Kitchen.

Party Planning

Sandra Sells — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 21:44:19 +0000

This weekend we celebrated Kodi’s birthday. We were very pleased with how much we enjoyed time with friends and family, eating, and hanging out. Party planning is in my blood. I may not have the experience for extreme decorating or large venues but I know what is important – good food that brings comfort and has options for all guests. This past weekend we decided on chicken tacos on Friday night for friends and a Spanish meal with black beans and rice and a “1905” Colombia Restaurant inspired salad on Sunday afternoon for family. The party planning tips that I have learned along the way were inspired by many large church gatherings and my mother. She always said that it is better to have an organized meal than a bunch of items that don’t go together or too many appetizers. That said, the idea is to keep the cost down but still fill the hearts and bellies of your guests. There is nothing better than inviting someone to your table and sharing a meal. We enjoy the hosting, which is great because we have become a hub for gathering our friends. I think that this is because we desire connection with people in a quality way. Quality time with people is one of the best parts of life. A great party planning tip is to decide on a menu and stick with it according to the budget you have in mind. For us, deciding the menu is usually based on knowing the number of guests invited. I will say that we do over cook most of the time, but the leftovers are never wasted. It makes sense to have things go a long way and a menu that is versatile for different eating habits. We have our casual crowd pleaser go-to like taco night, chili and toppings, shepherd’s pie, Italian meals like lasagna or ziti, or hearty soups. Another way to make meals go a long way when keeping cost in mind is picking a cheaper protein like chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs and grilling. We tend to save the steaks or costly items for a group of less than ten. This isn’t because big gatherings don’t deserve steak it’s just a budget strategy. Another major planning tip that was a lifesaver for this busy mother of two with a full-time job is having our groceries delivered. This is a mind-blowing and life-changing service. We use Instacart but there are other services that are great also. I made my list the weekend before, entered my order, and scheduled the delivery time to be close to the party date to keep the items fresh. We love to go to the grocery store but sometimes the time saving is everything! Also, not having to take your kids into a store is a priceless time saver. Instacart is really a lifeline for us! Our kids are usually great, but every child has their moments in public that makes the process take twice as long. We used our Instant Pot for each gathering. The Instant Pot is great because it is a “set it and forget it” appliance. I highly encourage using an appliance like this because it saves you from slaving away at the stove and ensures a meal that is very tasty and cooked well. We have a great Instant Pot recipe for chicken tacos that always turns out well for us and which we will be sharing soon. For our family gathering on Sunday afternoon, we used the Instant Pot to make the black beans and rice, which is a favorite amongst our family. With the Instant Pot, your black beans are done in less than an hour and you don’t have to soak them. It is a miracle! I hope these tips help you in planning your next gathering.

The post Party Planning appeared first on Simply Sells Kitchen.