Do you have kids who always seem to be hungry for an after school snack?  Or do YOU always find yourself rummaging through the kitchen for something to snack on?  If you’ve answered, “Yes!” to either of these questions, then today’s post is for you!  When it comes to afternoon snacking, you don’t have to settle for the same boring and bland foods.  You’ll actually find it’s amazing what you can do with just a few simple ingredients on hand.  You just have to get a little creative!  Today I’m sharing a recipe for a quick Orange Shortcake Parfait.  You can make these for your hungry little ones in about 5 minutes, or make an entire round of parfaits for your next party!

The other day, I made a couple of pound cakes!  I LOVE pound cakes!  They are so simple, yet so good!  And while I love the plain pound cake, it’s also a versatile dessert that you can change up with a little frosting, glaze, or fruit.  If you’ve got leftover pound cake on the counter and a little fruit on hand, you can easily make a shortcake parfait in a about five minutes.  In our post today, I’ve used a simple fruit cup of mandarin oranges and a little whipped topping to make an Orange Shortcake Parfait.

Substitutions

Of course, you could very easy substitute in another fruit cup like pineapple, or use fresh fruit like strawberries or bananas to make any kind of shortcake you like.  No whipped topping on hand?  No worries!  Just substitute in another ingredient, such as vanilla pudding.  And if you don’t have happen to have any cake on hand, look for other items in your kitchen that could be the base of your buffet:  crumbled up cookies, snack cakes (ie – Twinkies), other leftover cakes and breads, cinnamon rolls, and even leftover biscuits.

Not Just a Snack

And if you’d like to go beyond a quick 5 minute snack for you or your kids,  consider using a whole pound cake to make parfaits for an entire room full of people!  Party guests will love this dessert, and you’ll love how quick and easy it is to make.  Not to mention, it is a very cost effective dessert that looks great on your party buffet!

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Do you ever use leftovers or odds & ends to make the perfect snack or dessert?  I’d love for you to share your ideas with me!  You can share your ideas in the comments, link up your recipe at our Friday Favorites party, or tag Simply Sweet Home in your social media post!