Delicious Cookie Dough Cake
Here’s the thing, this Delicious Cookie Dough Cake is for those who love cookies more than the cookie monster! Personally, I love the soft chewy kind of cookie, so this cake is made up of layers of moist brown sugar butter cake, brown sugar frosting and it has a choc chip cookie in the center. Topped with chocolate sauce and more cookies. Delicious Cookie Dough Cake! Yum yum yum yum yum!
My favorite thing…
My favorite thing about this recipe is the cookies! The recipe I used is my classic chewy cookie recipe which is so yummy. I love a good chewy cookie, not a fan of the crispy ones.
What does this Delicious Cookie Dough Cake taste like?
Well, this cake is all about chewy cookies. One of the ingredients that makes a chewy cookie, chewy is brown sugar. Brown sugar is basically just sugar with molasses added to it. Stick with me here…
Let’s talk Brown Sugar Frosting.
In the past I’ve made brown sugar American Buttercream Frosting, this was back in the day, and I used actual brown sugar. Loads of you really didn’t like the texture because the sugar doesn’t dissolve in the frosting. The frosting is typically made with powdered sugar for a reason. Because it’s nice and fine.
In this recipe, I used Swiss meringue buttercream (which I have a wonderful recipe for), and instead of using caster sugar to make the meringue potion, I used brown sugar. I also added molasses straight to the frosting to give it an extra boost of brown sugar goodness. You get all the gorgeous brown sugar flavors, but with none of the grit of sugar crystals.
What you need to make this Delicious Cookie Dough Cake.
Cake
All-purpose flour – I used regular all-purpose flour here. Also known as plain flour. If you want a more delicate cake crumb you can use cake flour.
Baking powder – this helps the cake rise.
Salt – I used pink Himalayan salt but any fine salt is good.
Unsalted butter – make sure your butter is softened.
Brown sugar – I used regular brown sugar here. You can use dark or light brown sugar if you wish. It will affect the colour and flavor of the cake but it’s up to your personal preference which one you use.
Eggs – I used large eggs. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
Milk – whole milk or skim milk is fine here. Can you use plant-based kinds of milk? Yes. But I’d probably recommend almond or soy.
Vegetable oil – you can use sunflower oil in place of vegetable oil too. Make sure you’re using good quality oil. It makes a huge difference.
Vanilla extract – Don’t skimp on good-quality vanilla extract. I use my own homemade one. The better the quality, the better the flavor.
Mini chocolate chips – I used dark chocolate chips. Milk or white will work. Even regular-sized chocolate chips will work.
Brown Sugar Frosting
I used my Swiss meringue buttercream for this cake. It’s silky smooth and delicious. Rather than using the caster sugar in that recipe (which you can find here btw), I replaced it with brown sugar.
Molasses – Molasses will give you an even stronger brown sugar flavor. It is optional, but I would recommend it.
Cookies
All-purpose flour – regular flour is good here. You could also use cake flour or even replace half the flour with cake flour if you’re after a finer crumb and more delicate cookie.
Bicarb soda – this will helps the cookies stay light and puff up slightly.
Salt – DO NOT skip the salt. I used to be one of those people who thought salt in cookies was for weirdos but now I’m legit obsessed. If anything, I add more salt cos I love how much it just intensified flavors in desserts.
Unsalted butter – make sure your butter is softened.
Brown sugar – this will help the cookie have a chewy texture.
Egg – I used large eggs.
Vanilla extract – don’t skimp on good quality
Chocolate chips – I used mini dark chocolate chips
Decorations
Chocolate sauce – I used my one bowl Chocolate Sauce recipe for this. It’s so versatile and easy to make.
Chocolate Chip Cookies – I ended up using store-bought cookies.
Dark chocolate – I just used a really good quality dark chocolate.
How to make the cake.
Cake
1. Add flour, baking powder and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine.
2. Take out one tbsp and add to a bowl with the chocolate chips and mix to coat them. Set both aside.
3. To a separate large mixing bowl add the softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each time and scraping the bowl down before adding the next egg.
5. Add the oil and Greek yogurt. Mix on low speed.
6. Add half the dry ingredients and milk and mix until the batter is smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients and repeat.
7. Add the chocolate chips and fold through until well combined.
8. Split the batter between the two baking tins and bake for 40 minutes. Once baked, allow to cool completely.
Cookies
1. Add the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Add the softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar into a separate bowl and mix using an electric mixer until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.
3. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
4. Add the flour and chocolate chips and mix until well combined and a dough forms.
5. Scoop 3 cookies on the baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Add the remaining dough to an 8-inch cake tin. Spread around. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Brown sugar Frosting
1. When making the swiss meringue buttercream frosting, replace the caster sugar when making the meringue with brown sugar.
2. Once the frosting is made, add the molasses and mix until well combined.
Let’s decorate!
1. Add a dab of frosting on your serving plate and spread around
2. Add the first layer of cake.
3. Pipe frosting on top and spread around.
4. Take the baking paper off the bottom of the large cookie from the cake tin. Place on top.
5. Pipe more frosting before adding the second cake layer.
6. Cover the cake in frosting.
7. Smoothen out the top and sides with a bench scraper.
8. Add chopped cookies and chocolate on the bottom.
9. Drizzle with chocolate sauce.
10. Finish by placing the cookies on top. I chopped the bottom of the cookies off to make it easier for them to stand up and stick to the chocolate sauce on top of the cake.
Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!
Tips for making the cake.
- Chill your cake layers before putting the cake together. It makes frosting and keeping everything together much easier.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!
Cookie Dough Cake
Serves 15
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup / 190 g unsalted butter, , softened
- 1 3/4 cup / 400 g brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup / 190 ml vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp greek yogurt
- 3 3/4 cups / 645 g all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/4 cups / 560 ml milk
- 1 1/2 cups / 230 g mini chocolate chips
Brown Sugar Frosting
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup / 200 g brown sugar
- 2 cups / 500 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml molases
Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups / 200 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp bicarb soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup / 125 g unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup / 110 g brown sugar
- 1/2 cup / 90 g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups / 260 g milk chocolate chips
Decorations
- 1 batch chocolate sauce
- 10 chewy chocolate chip cookies
- 10 blocks dark chocolate, chopped
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C / 275°F. Spray two 20 cm (8 inch) cake tins with oil spray and line the bottoms with baking paper. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to combine. Add 2 tbsp of the dry ingredients to a small mixing bowl with the chocolate chips. Mix to coat the chocolate in the flour. Set aside.
- To a separate large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and beat until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well each time.
- Next, add the oil and Greek yogurt. Mix on low speed to begin with and then medium speed until well combined.
- Scrape down the bowl, add half the dry ingredients and half the milk and mix until well combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and milk and repeat. Lastly, add the chocolate chips mixture and fold through.
- Divide the cake mixture between the two tins. I find that using an ice-cream scoop makes it easy to distribute the batter evenly, ensuring that the cakes will bake at the same rate. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool to room for 5 minutes before turning them onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Spray an 8-inch baking tin with oil spray and line the bottom with baking paper. Set aside.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine.
- Add the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl and mix using an electric hand mixer until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Sift in the flour mixture and add the chocolate chips. Use a spatula to mix in until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Use a medium ice-cream scoop to scoop 2 cookies onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Then use a large ice-cream scoop to scoop one cookie on the sheet too. Add the remaining dough to the baking tin. Bake the cookies on the baking tray for 10 minutes. Bake the cake tin cookie for an extra 10 minutes. Allow both to cool down completely. To remove the cookie out of the cake tin, carefully run a knife around the side to loosen it and then turn upside down until cookie falls out.
Brown Sugar Frosting
- Place a heatproof bowl onto a large saucepan of gently simmering water. Add the egg whites and sugar.Use a whisk to whisk together until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 80C / 160F. If you can’t feel any sugar granules between your fingers, it’s done!
- Take off the heat and whisk on high speed for 4-5 minutes until a stiff and glossy meringue forms.Then while the mixer is on high speed, begin adding the butter, 1 tbsp at a time until it’s all in there. Continue whisking for another 4-5 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. The mixture may split once you begin adding the butter which is normal. It will all come together once the butter is all in there. Set aside.
Let's Decorate!
- Add a dab of frosting to your serving plate. Add the first layer of cake and add a layer of Swiss meringue buttercream. Smoothen it out using an offset spatula. Add the cookie cake layer and add more frosting. Finish with the second cake layer. Cover it with frosting and use a bench scraper to smoothen out the top and side of the cake. No need to crumb coat and chill here
- Add crushed cookies and chopped dark chocolate around the bottom of the frosted cake. Drizzle the top with chocolate sauce, allowing it to drip over the sides. Finish by wedging some whole cookies on top.
Notes
Nutrition
2 comments
There’s a mistake in this recipe. For the frosting it says to heat the sugar and egg whites to 160 Celsius. Took ages. So I checked your recipe for swiss merengue frosting and there it said heat untill 160F/80C!
Other than that, great recipe and I love the metric ingredients. Saves a lot of time to calculate from cups haha.
Cake isn’t finished yet but it looks promising so far! Thank you!
Thanks so much for letting me know Linda! Apologies about that. Have gone in and updated the recipe N x