This chocolate chip cookie dough cake is layered with plenty of dark brown sugar, mini chocolate chips, edible cookie dough, and rich semisweet ganache.
It’s nearly fall, and I’ve decided to transition from cheesecakes to layer cakes! Don't worry, there are plenty more cheesecakes coming, because let’s face it, cheesecakes are sublime, and we need every flavor under the sun! But I have so much experience in making layer cakes that I finally feel it’s time to start blogging about them. This chocolate chip cookie dough cake goes way back to 2020 when I first started my business. This blog was so new that it didn't even have its own recipe card! I am proud of the home bakery base that this business has provided me, and baking cakes for 12 years has proven to be quite the creative art. This chocolate chip cookie dough cake is phenomenal: soft layers of brown sugar and mini chocolate chip cake are filled with brown sugar buttercream, rich semi-sweet ganache, and truly tantalizing edible cookie dough. It is finished with more buttercream, ganache, and cookie dough, plus some crunchy cookie toppers. It is obviously a showstopper, but it is equally delicious! Let’s make it.
Ingredients:
- Salted butter
- Sour cream
- Dark brown sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Powdered sugar
- Semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- Heavy cream
- Mini chocolate chip cookies of choice
The Cake Layers
These brown sugar mini chip layers start with soft and flavor-packed cake. Dark brown sugar lends its quintessential flavor, and sour cream creates the most, dare I say, MOIST result.
Line the bottoms of three 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, and then spray the pans and the parchment generously with baking spray or pure olive oil spray. Set these aside.
Begin by creaming the salted butter, brown sugar, and sour cream together. Next, add in your eggs and blend until no egg remains unmixed. Add the vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Give it a quick mix, and now it’s time for the flour. Slowly add your flour and mix until no powder remains.
Scrape the sides of the bowl as you go. This will ensure that the cake has an even finish. Add the milk and mix until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared 6-inch pans.
Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the cake top springs back when gently pressed.
The Brown Sugar Buttercream
While your cake is baking, you can whip up your buttercream and the edible cookie. This buttercream consists of four simple ingredients and has been a favorite of mine for well over a decade.
Begin by adding your butter and brown sugar to a standing mixer or to a medium-sized bowl (for use with a hand mixer). Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add your powdered sugar and vanilla extract, whipping until all ingredients are incorporated, about 30 more seconds.
Use room temperature butter to ensure that this buttercream blends up smoothly without any lumps. Make sure to sift your powdered sugar. If you feel like your butter wasn’t quite room temperature and your buttercream is coming out stiff, you can add a splash of heavy cream to thin it out just a bit. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time so as not to overdo it.
The Edible Cookie Dough + Ganache
For the edible cookie dough, cream the butter and both sugars together in a small bowl. Add the heavy cream and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until no powder remains. Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips. Roll into 2-tbsp balls and set in the fridge while you make the ganache.
It has been said that there is a small risk of E. coli when consuming raw flour. If this concerns you, microwave your flour for 1 minute 15 seconds, or until a 160° temperature is reached. Allow it to cool completely and proceed with the edible cookie dough recipe.
This ganache is simply semisweet chunks plus heavy cream. So what is the best ratio of chocolate to cream for ganache? Simple: one part cream to two parts chocolate.
Heat the heavy cream in the microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds or until hot, but not bubbling. Please the semisweet chips into the hot bowl of cream, and ensure that all of the chips are covered. Let this stand for five minutes, and then whisk until the ganache is smooth. Pour the ganache over the chilled cheesecake and pop it back into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes for the ganache to set while you make the buttercream.
Products
Here is one link to all of the products I used in making this layer cake. I linked the 6-inch pans, both of my mixers, the parchment liners, my favorite bowls + piping tip, and more.
Peruse my entire storefront for the items that I bake and style with daily! My promise to you is to never share a product that I don’t personally use and love.
The dietary substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy-free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to the fullest! These are substitutes that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home or that have come highly recommended by others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried-and-true dietary substitutes so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy.
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour is a wonderful all-purpose substitute, and it’s cup for cup, so use the same measurements as you would for all-purpose flour.
Miyoko’s butter is a plant-based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its appearance but also in its taste. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio substitute, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Kite Hill makes a dairy-free sour cream that would replace the dairy sour cream at a 1:1 ratio. Enjoy Life makes a dairy-free + allergen-friendly semi-sweet chocolate chip (regular or mini-sized) that would work great in this ganache, cake, and edible cookie dough recipe.
Silk Dairy-Free Heavy Cream is also a great option for the ganache.
If you loved this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review.
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations.
Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy!
Happy Cake / Cookie dough making!
XO,
Heather
PS- Try my Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting for a decadent peanut butter chocolate experience. Also, this Blood Orange Cake is a favorite and so refreshing!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake
Ingredients
For the Brown Sugar Layer Cake:
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ¼ Cups Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk
- ⅓ Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¾ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¾ Cup Whole or 2% Milk
- ¾ Cup Mini Semisweet Chocolate Chips
For the Edible Cookie Dough:
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour*
- ¾ Cup Mini Semisweet Chocolate Chips
For the Brown Sugar Buttercream:
- 1 ½ Cup Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
- ⅔ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- Splash of Heavy Cream, optional
For the Semisweet Ganache:
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup Semisweet Chips or Chunks
For the Toppers:
- 10 Mini Chocolate Chips Cookies, four crushed and six whole
Instructions
- For the cake: Line the bottoms of three 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, and then spray the pans and the parchment generously with baking spray or pure olive oil spray. Set these aside.Begin by creaming the salted butter, brown sugar, and sour cream together. Next, add in your eggs and blend until no egg remains unmixed. Add the vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Give it a quick mix, and now it’s time for the flour. Slowly add your flour and mix until no powder remains.Scrape the sides of the bowl as you go. This will ensure that the cake has an even finish. Add the milk and mix until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared 6-inch pans.Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the cake top springs back when gently pressed.Gently flip the still warm but not hot cake pans over and gently tap to remove the cakes to a wire rack. Cool to room temperature. Freeze for 20 minutes prior to frosting.
- For the buttercream: Begin by adding your butter and brown sugar to a standing mixer or to a medium-sized bowl (for use with a hand mixer). Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add your powdered sugar and vanilla extract, whipping until all ingredients are incorporated, about 30 more seconds.Use room temperature butter to ensure that this buttercream blends up smoothly without any lumps. Make sure to sift your powdered sugar. If you feel like your butter wasn’t quite room temperature and your buttercream is coming out stiff, you can add a splash of heavy cream to thin it out just a bit. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time so as not to overdo it.
- For the edible cookie dough: For the edible cookie dough, cream the butter and both sugars together in a small bowl. Add the heavy cream and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until no powder remains. Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips. Roll into 2-tbsp balls and set in the fridge while you make the ganache.
- For the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in the microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds or until hot, but not bubbling. Please the semisweet chips into the hot bowl of cream, and ensure that all of the chips are covered. Let this stand for five minutes, and then whisk until the ganache is smooth.
- Putting it all together: Place one cake round on an 8-inch plate. Pipe the buttercream around the edges and fill the center with a spoonful of ganache. Gently flatten one cookie dough ball slightly and place it in the middle of the ganache. Layer the next cake round on top and repeat. Layer the final cake round on top. Frost the outside with the remainder of the buttercream, saving a small amount to pipe on top if desired. Spoon a generous amount of ganache on the top of the cake. Place a crunchy cookie into each of the six dough balls that will line the top of the cake, and then place the cookie / cookie dough toppers on the cake. Sprinkle with some crushed cookies and press some crushed cookies around the bottom of the cake. Gently spread a bit of ganache around the middle of the cake and swirl it into the buttercream. Cut and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days, covering the cut parts with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. Enjoy!
- *It has been said that there is a small risk of E. coli when consuming raw flour. If this concerns you, microwave your flour for 1 minute 15 seconds, or until a 160° temperature is reached. Allow it to cool completely and proceed with the edible cookie dough recipe.
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