Walking through the doors of Thicc Cakes is like walking into a fragrant fairytale – one filled with the scent of sugar, butter, and pure bliss. For Mayre Mercedes Jenkins, who owns and operates the business with the help of her father, Bari Jenkins, this sweet venture has been a childhood dream come true.
Baking has always been Mercedes’ favorite form of cooking, something that she found beautifully blends her creativity and her self-proclaimed sweet tooth. Her approach to baking has been shaped by memories of her family laughing and spending unhurried time together in the kitchen. One of the Nixa native’s most cherished memories captures this approach perfectly: while making oatmeal cookies with her father, the pair forgot to add flour, resulting in a single caramelized oat crisp instead of cookies. The mishap became a lesson in slowing down and enjoying the process—and is something they still laugh about today.
Now, she and her father share a happy, safe space that has brought them even closer and allowed them to share something of which they are both passionate. Working alongside one another, her father helps develop flavors and ideas while offering a steady, thoughtful presence. Her mother, Rosa, also contributes by providing feedback and drawing from her own business experience to offer advice on operations. Extended family members often step in as well, whether to help bake, sample new creations, or to lend support during busy seasons.
For Mercedes, the quality is in the details. Savoring the flavors and remembering that the best things in life require a little patience are two things that set her desserts apart from many others. Rushing past meaningful details, she explains, takes away from creating something that feels and tastes genuinely special.
Through Thicc Cakes, which specializes in a variety of cheesecakes, Mercedes hopes to leave customers feeling comforted, cared for, and delightfully indulgent. She puts 100% of herself into every order so that her customers sense intentionality in every bite. Her desire has always been to serve the community with desserts that exude warmth, nostalgia, and joy, and to create moments that feel welcoming and purposeful long after the last mouth-watering crumb has been finished.
Jenkins Family Oatmeal Cookies
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup of Oat Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup of salted butter (softened)
1/2 cup of natural cane sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Mix-In Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats
Optional:
1/2 cup of milk-chocolate chips
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
or
1/2 cup of white-chocolate chips
1/2 cup of craisins
or
1/2 cup of butterscotch chips
1/2 cup of pecans
Preheat oven to 375F Degrees
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine all of your Dry Ingredients into a medium bowl, mix, & set aside.
In a large bowl, with a hand mixer on medium speed, mix the sugars & butter until light and fluffy.
Add the egg & vanilla, mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients into the large bowl, mix until well combined on low speed.
Add oats & optional add-ins until evenly distributed.
Roll dough into ping pong sized balls & place on prepared cookie sheet about 1.5 inches apart.
Gently press the tops of the cookies to slightly flatten.
Bake 9-10 minutes, the edges should be slightly browned.
Remove from oven & let the cookies rest for 5-8 minutes before moving or consuming.
Thicc Cakes Chocolate Ganache
This is the Jenkins' famous Chocolate Ganache, something that they use to drizzle on top of or bake within some of their cheesecakes. This can also be used to make frosting or truffles.
(Makes approximately 4 cups)
2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
2 1/2 Cups of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Cup of Milk Chocolate Chips
Combine the chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl and set aside.
Heat the heavy whipping cream in a saucepan on the stove or in a heat-safe measuring cup in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes until steamy and a slight rolling boil.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips.
Let it rest for about 3 minutes to allow the chips to melt.
Slowly stir and fold until the mixture is smooth and glossy. If needed, reheat in microwave for 15 seconds at a time and slowly stir until smooth.